


Chancing Folly

by miss_whimsy



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-29
Updated: 2007-01-29
Packaged: 2018-12-06 02:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 59,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11591232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_whimsy/pseuds/miss_whimsy
Summary: Some old adversaries decide to play a game with the Scoobies, past and present. PG-13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Hils, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Death-Marked Love](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Death-Marked_Love). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [the Death-Marked Love collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/deathmarkedlove/profile).
> 
> Rating: PG-13  
> Disclaimer: I own nothing, I merely borrow.  
> Summary: Some old adversaries decide to play a game with the Scoobies, past and present.  
> Spoilers: Anything from the first 100 episodes of Buffy and the first 44 episodes of Angel.  
> Author’s Note: Set after Buffy’s imminent return from the dead.  
> Dedication: To Michael, for never laughing at me and my strange world.

**Chapter 1**  
  
“Why don’t we start with, ‘Hi, I’m Buffy’?”  
 _Buffy – ‘Welcome to the Hellmouth’_  
****  
  
“Goddamn you Spike,” Buffy muttered as the relentlessly smiling Buffybot made her way towards the Slayer. It was practically skipping and Buffy’s eyes narrowed even further as she watched the approach.   
  
Giles had insisted that it continue to help her patrol, once she had ‘arrived back’. The Watcher had never referred to her ‘time away’ as her death, and Buffy felt sometimes as though she hadn’t really died at all. She had merely been away on vacation. A very wonderful, relaxing vacation that had given her a peace within herself about who she was. One of those spiritual trips people took when they left high school or college, or turned forty to go and ‘find themselves’. And she had found herself.  
  
Now of course she found herself in the cemetery, watching a robot who looked exactly like her getting closer and closer. Buffy gritted her teeth, waiting for that first comment that would make her want to tear the thing to shreds.  
  
“Hi, Buffy. Have you killed a lot of demons tonight? I have staked two vampires. Do you want me to help you?”  
  
“No skirt girl. I don’t want you to help me. Ever,” Buffy ground out as she turned towards the exit and led the robot back to the Magic Box. “I don’t even know why you’re still patrolling with me. It’s not like Giles is here to glare disapprovingly at me if I don’t.”  
  
He had tried to stay. He had stayed those three long months Buffy was ‘lost’ to them, and he had stayed a couple of months after her return, to make sure she was all right and had settled back into her life. But he hadn’t thought it necessary to be there any longer. She was old enough not to need a guardian or mentor. And she had friends to help her and carry on with their work. So he had gone back to England.   
  
She missed him. Some days she forgot he wasn’t around and it hurt her a little bit more to find that he had left. But he had been right. She was growing up. She was grown up. She didn’t need him. But that didn’t stop her from wishing he were there. Her reactions were in some ways related to her mother’s death. She couldn’t stop her mother dying, couldn’t talk to her whenever she wanted, whenever she had a problem. Whenever she felt lost.  
  
When it got especially bad she would ring him and they spent a couple of hours on the phone talking. He was always thrilled to hear from her and she would have to restrain herself from begging him to come home. It wasn’t the same. But in some ways it was better. She knew certainly now what she had been afraid to feel before. That Giles was her father. Her true father. Who would be back in Sunnydale in a second if she had a problem she couldn’t deal with alone.  
  
“If I didn’t go, Spike might glare disapprovingly at me,” the Buffybot interjected, interrupting the Slayer’s thoughts and turning them in an instant from maudlin to irate. Spike. If there was one name she couldn’t stand coming from the robot’s mouth it was his.   
  
Despite all of Willow’s best efforts, the robot would still breathe the vampire’s name as if it were one to be worshipped. The young witch had managed to remove the ‘sex-stuff’ as she put it, but she couldn’t stop the blatant hero-worship and adoration.   
  
If she had been able to be anything but angry at the mere mention the Buffybot, Buffy might have been amused by Spike’s severe embarrassment and borderline disgust whenever it was around. But Buffy’s spiritual enlightenment hadn’t included clearing up any of those pesky little Spike thoughts and questions that buzzed around her head. And it had yet to make any imprint on her jealousy and inferiority complex where men were concerned.  
  
Buffy would look at the robot and see herself. But to her it epitomised everything Spike wanted that she could never be. So in looking at it she would begin to doubt herself and the vampire’s declarations of love and tell herself that Spike was nothing but her friend.   
  
The Slayer pushed open the door to the Magic Box and stepped through, pushing the door slightly so that it swung back in the face of the Buffybot. “Hey guys.”  
  
Willow and Tara looked up from the spell book they were engrossed in, while Anya smiled brightly from her position behind the counter. “Hello Buffy. How was the Slaying?”  
“Pretty quiet. Although the thing managed to stake a couple of vamps,” Buffy answered as she jumped up to sit on the counter.   
  
‘The thing’ by this time had managed to enter the shop and was making her way towards Buffy and Anya. “Good evening Anya. How is your money?” The former demon laughed a little before answering just as enthusiastically. “Very well, thank you Buffybot.”  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes at the exchange. “Where’s Dawn?” she asked the two witches who both nodded towards the training room door just as it opened to admit a red faced Dawn, followed by a laughing Spike. “Shut up Spike,” the teenager spat at the vampire as she saw her sister watching them. Spike didn’t get a chance to answer, as the clinging robot suddenly captured him.  
  
“Spike. Oh Spike. I’ve missed you,” the Buffybot purred as she tried to kiss him. The blonde vampire smiled uncomfortably at the robot, painfully aware that Buffy, as well as Anya, Willow, Tara and Dawn, was watching. He managed to manoeuvre himself away from the Buffybot’s embrace, holding her by the shoulder at arms length from his body.   
  
His eyes strayed to the real Slayer, who was studiously avoiding looking at him. Spike sighed and moved his hand up under the robot’s long synthetic hair to the off button located at the nape of its neck. Willow stood and helped him return the robot to the basement where it was stored in between patrols.   
  
Buffy hopped down from the counter the moment the Buffybot was removed from the room and hugged her sister. “So what have you been up to?” she asked in her best big-sister-in-charge voice. Dawn shrugged. “Nothing much. Spike was teaching me some self-defence like you wanted. Want to see what I’ve learned?”   
  
“Ah-huh,” Buffy nodded as Dawn led her excitedly back to the training room to try out her new skills on her sister.   
  
****  
  
Darla smiled sweetly at the man sitting before her. He fidgeted nervously in his seat, glancing at the door every few seconds as if judging the distance and time it would take to reach it. Then he’d look back at the blonde vampiress and judge how long it would take her to drain the blood from his body. Not very long probably.  
  
He hated vampires. Not in the ‘they’re evil demons’ way, just in the ‘if you don’t do want they want they’ll rip your throat out’ way. The last time he’d worked for a vampire, things had gone very badly indeed, but it looked as though this one wasn’t going to let him go either.  
  
“The thing is,” Darla was purring as she made her way around the back of his chair, running her fingers through his hair as he passed, “I know you’ve done this sort of thing before. To the same people. It shouldn’t be very hard to add a few more factors, make it a really challenging game.”  
  
“A game?” the man asked frowning up at her. Now why oh why didn’t he believe this little game she wanted to play was going to have a happy ending for anyone?  
“Two teams, their choice. Winners get the prize, losers, well, I think you know what’ll happen to the losers,” Darla chuckled as she leaned over him.  
“What prize exactly?” the man asked, leaning as far back in his chair as possible.  
  
“They get to live.”  
He gulped. It sounded incredibly loud in that small room. This was really not his day. Of course, she was right, he had done plenty of things to them before. Bad, evil things to hurt and disorient them. But he couldn’t remember ever actually heading into the situation knowing that some of them were going to die. Probably all of them. Except the vampires. They were the reason for this whole thing after all.  
  
“Well?” Darla demanded impatiently, “I’m not getting any younger you know. Are you going to do what we want? Or am I going to ask Dru to come back in and finish you off?”  
The man shuddered. This one was bad enough, but the other one… She was just too frightening for words. Her eyes stared right through to your soul and she’d sing and dance, while you just stood by, knowing that she was suddenly going to change from the innocent little girl, into the heartless killer.  
  
Ethan Rayne put on his best, ‘I have absolutely no problem with what you’re doing smile’ and nodded. As Darla smiled he cursed the day he’d ever come to this country. Nothing ever went according to plan.

 **Chapter 2  
**  
“Ok. This is where I have a problem see, because we’re talking about vampires. We’re having a talk with vampires in it.”  
 _Xander – ‘The Harvest’_  
****  
  
"Why are you being so mean?" Dawn whispered to her sister as they made their way up the path to their house, followed by the blonde vampire. Buffy ignored the question and unlocked the door in silence. Spike remained on the front porch, finishing his cigarette as Buffy and Dawn made their way inside.   
  
"I am not being mean," the Slayer hissed at her sister as she swung the door closed behind them.   
Dawn glanced at the door and back at Buffy, a disbelieving statement on her face. "No. I see that." Buffy sighed angrily and ran upstairs to her room, closely followed by her sister. "Is this about the robot?" Dawn asked as she stood in the doorway to Buffy's bedroom, her arms folded defiantly and her head tilted slightly to one side.  
  
"No," Buffy answered shortly, managing to make as much noise as possible as she started to change her clothes. Her boots were thrown violently against one wall, making Dawn wince.   
"Ok. It's about the robot," Dawn refused to back down. "Buffy you know he doesn't care about the thing. Don't you notice the way his face twists up when he looks at it? He loves you."  
  
"Dawn that's enough!" Buffy practically shouted, her mind raging with confusion. "I've told you not to say that. Whether he does or doesn't makes no difference to me. I can't do anything about it. I can't feel the same way about him."  
  
Dawn frowned. "Can't? That's a funny way of saying it. What does that mean?"  
"Nothing," Buffy replied quickly. "Now drop it."  
"'Can't' sounds like you might be able to, or maybe do, but it's against the rules. I mean you could have said 'I don't love him' or 'I'll never love him'. Doesn't 'can't' sound weird to you?"  
"No," Buffy insisted, moving to close the door, "Now go to bed. Goodnight Dawn."  
  
The younger Summers' stuck her tongue out at her elder sister and shook her head as she made her way down the corridor to her bedroom.  
  
****  
  
Spike sat on the roof outside Buffy's window listening to the argument his two favourite girls were having. He cursed the day he'd ever thought about having that robot built. It had brought with it nothing but trouble from day one. It wasn't like the thing was anything like the real Buffy anyway. Yes she looked like her, and her voice was the same, but those weren't exactly the reasons Spike loved Buffy in the first place.   
  
Of course her looks had a great deal to do with the passion and lust that seized him every time he saw her. Right from the first time. But so did the way she moved, the way she fought, her own passion that burned brightly inside of her, a million and one things. But love. Love wasn't lust. And he didn't just lust after the Slayer; he loved Buffy.  
  
So the robot had been a mistake. She worshipped and adored him, and for a couple of minutes when he had been with her, he had been able to close his eyes and pretend. And then the world would interrupt and he would be forced back to reality. And the ever-present knowledge that the real Buffy completely despised him.  
  
Until, of course, he'd managed to get something right. And not 'right', in the sense of doing something that would make Buffy love him. 'Right' in the sense of actually doing the right thing, for the right reasons. One totally unselfish act. Not for love. Because of love.  
  
That had been the real start in some ways. He knew the minute those hobgoblins of Glory's entered his crypt that there was no way he was ever going to let the hellbitch get her claws into his little girl. And that was when he had known the absolute truth about himself. Because his first thought hadn't been about himself. It hadn't even been about Buffy. It had been about Dawn.  
  
No one was ever going to touch Dawn if he could help it. Which to him signified a greater change in himself than he had at first believed possible. At that moment he had to acknowledge that it wasn't all about Buffy. Somewhere along the line Dawn had worked her way into his heart just like Joyce had all those years ago when she comforted him about Drusilla over a cup of cocoa.  
  
So it hadn't come as too much of a surprise to him when he realised he was quite willing to protect the Scoobies as well. And not just for Buffy's sake. He liked them. Willow's relentless optimism, Tara's emerging strength and Anya's incomprehension at, yet total joy with the world around her. And although he wouldn't admit it to anyone, even if they put him through the same kind of torture Glory had inflicted upon him, Xander too had gained his respect in the past few months.   
  
But everything he had built with Buffy and her friends ever since then, everything he had worked so hard for, came crashing down around his ears whenever that bloody robot was so much as mentioned. Every smile she sent him when they were patrolling or researching, every word of thanks or praise, every time he'd catch her looking at him in secret, meant nothing if the Buffybot was around. Everything was wiped away, and he'd spend what felt like an eternity, trying to reclaim the ground.  
  
The problem was he liked having the Buffybot patrol with Buffy. It was much safer for all of them and the Slayer would have the back up she needed when she was in one of her 'I need to be alone' moods. Still something had to be done and quickly, before he slipped too far back along the road, ever to regain his footing.   
  
****  
  
Buffy knew he was still out there. She hadn’t just expected him to go home when she slammed the door on him. The last time she had done that he had stood under the tree in the front garden all night. She had felt him out there until just before dawn and had been unable to sleep as thoughts about that night’s activities flew around her head.  
  
She knew that there was no way she’d get any sleep if she didn’t talk to him, so she opened the window and climbed halfway out, so that she was sitting facing him on the roof with her legs still inside her room. “Having fun?”  
  
Spike smiled slightly as he blew out a stream of smoke before flicking the cigarette he was smoking off the roof. “Oh yeah. It’s a riot.”  
“I’m not really angry with you, you know,” Buffy told him as she tried to catch his eye.  
“Yes you are,” Spike replied, refusing to return her gaze.   
The Slayer sighed. “Ok, yes I am. But it’s not all about you.”   
  
“Oh really,” Spike mocked finally turning to face her. “What else is it about then?”  
“Her,” Buffy mumbled. “It. She’s so much happier than me. Everything is easy for her. She’s friendly and helpful. And she gets to love without any problems or fears.”  
Spike looked at Buffy as though she’d just grown another head. “Well, yeah. She’s a robot. What does she have to worry about?”  
“But why can’t my life be that simple,” Buffy almost whined. The vampire’s face softened as he saw her real fear and confusion.  
  
“Buffy, your life can’t be that simple, because you’re not that simple. You’re a human being with real feelings and emotions that weren’t programmed into you. Everything that thing feels it was told to feel by me. And it’s fake. And boring.”  
“I’m boring?” Buffy asked and she began to pout. Spike laughed at her statement and shook his head.  
“You, my love, could never be boring. But the robot isn’t you. Haven’t I just said that?”  
“But you built her. You made all those specifications. Isn’t that how you want me to be?”  
Spike’s incredulous face was back with a vengeance. “No! God no! Look Buffy I got two things out of that robot. One of them, I’m sure you know, was sex…”  
  
The Slayer wrinkled her nose but stayed silent as Spike struggled on. “And if you think for one moment that it quenched any thirst I had for you, you’d be mistaken. What it did show me, was the second thing. The knowledge that nothing was ever going to compare with you. The real you.”  
  
Buffy smiled as Spike paused and the couple stared at each other for a few minutes. Finally the vampire looked away and continued. “The robot is nothing like you. And that’s good, because it made me see how much I want you. Just you. No substitutes. Do you understand? Am I getting through to you yet?” The Slayer nodded and Spike sighed with relief. She could do what she liked now. At least he had explained.  
  
“Spike?” Buffy asked quietly when the silence became too much again.  
“Yes luv?” the blonde vampire replied, staring at her with an intensity that scared and thrilled her at the same time.  
“I’m going to give in.” Spike froze in shock. She couldn’t have just said that. He tried to focus his eyes as she leant closer to him raising her head so that their eyes and lips were level. He inhaled her scent and a grin started to spread across his face as she neared. Finally they were nose to nose and Spike’s eyes started to close in anticipation.  
  
“Eventually,” she whispered against his lips before pulling away and disappearing back inside her bedroom, leaving one very shocked, confused and frustrated vampire on the roof. 

**Chapter 3**  
  
“My bud’s are here! I love my bud’s!!!”  
 _Buffy – ‘The Witch’_  
****  
  
“Ok, we brought movies,” Willow told Xander and Anya as she and Tara settled themselves in their friends’ living room. “I’ve got ‘Harvey’, ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ and ‘Bambi’.” Anya sent Xander a horrified look and Willow gave in at the fear in her eyes. “Sorry An. Couldn’t resist. I promise we have no bunny films.”   
  
As Xander left to make popcorn and fetch drinks, Anya turned to her friends and smiled. “What colours do you want?” Tara and Willow glanced at each other in confusion and the redheaded witch shook her head slightly as she looked back at the former demon. “What colour of what?”  
“Bridesmaid dresses!” Anya cried picking up the nearest dress catalogue and flicking through it. “This is the style I want, but I need a colour that will suit all three of you. And Dawn, as she’s the flower girl.”  
  
Willow struggled to hold back her laugh. “Does she know?”  
“No, not yet, but she’ll say yes won’t she? Everyone likes weddings.” Anya frowned worriedly as Willow and Tara continued to grin at her. “Everyone does like weddings right? I thought that was the point.”  
“We all love weddings Anya, don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine. And those dresses are beautiful. I really don’t know what colour all four of us could wear though. We’d probably have to go and try some on.”  
  
Anya smiled. “I’m going to look for my dress tomorrow night. Xander’s going out with some guys from work, so I’m going to use the free time shopping.”  
“Do you want us to come with?” Tara asked, excited by the thought shopping for wedding dresses.   
“Actually, I’m already going with someone. But we’ll go out next week, when Buffy and Dawn are free and that’ll be all about you guys.”  
  
Willow smiled across at her best friend as he carried a bowl of popcorn into the living room and set it down on the table. “Xander, have you chosen a best man yet?”  
“No,” Xander shook his head at Willow’s question.  
“Yes,” Anya said at exactly the same moment and the engaged couple glared at each other.  
“An, for the hundredth time, NO.”  
  
“What wrong?” Tara piped up as the two witches looked back and forth between their friends.   
“Xander’s being stubborn,” Anya answered without looking away from her fiancée. “You don’t know any other guys. He has to do it.”  
“I’ll ask someone from work,” Xander gritted out as Willow and Tara shifted uncomfortably in their seats.  
  
“You will not. I don’t know anyone you work with. And I think that, as two of my bridesmaids happen to be your two oldest friends, that I should get some say in who is your best man,” Anya shouted, her eyes clouding with tears. Xander stayed silent but the two witches could tell his resolve was weakening.  
  
“Um, guys. Who are we talking about?” Willow asked, still confused by the whole conversation.  
“Spike,” the couple threw back and the redhead exploded with laughter. She covered her mouth with her hand as they stared at her, knowing that she really shouldn’t be laughing. But she couldn’t help herself.  
  
Tara, ever the voice of diplomacy, tried to settle things peaceably. “Is he allowed in a church? I mean, won’t it make him all creeped out?”  
“Thank you,” Xander drawled and sent a smug look at Anya as he gestured to Tara.  
“Tara,” the former demon huffed as she turned to her friend. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”  
“I, I, I’m not on anyone’s side, really,” Tara stuttered. “I was just trying to figure out a way to…” She trailed off as the others continued to stare at her. “I’ll be quiet now.”  
  
****  
  
Spike sat at a table in the Expresso Pump, staring down into a large cup of coffee. He didn’t know why he was there; coffee houses weren’t really his thing, but he hadn’t wanted to go to the Bronze and was far too worked up to go home.  
  
She’d told him she’d say yes. Eventually. That meant that sometime in the foreseeable future, he and Buffy would be together. An actuality and not just wishful thinking. It was a frightening concept. He hadn’t had much experience with women, not different women anyway. ‘Cecily,’ he said to himself, thinking back over the past hundred and twenty-one years, ‘Not exactly a beneficial experience. Drusilla… a hundred and seventeen years spent loving a crazy vampiress with second sight, who cheated on you with your Grandsire. And then Harmony. Oh God. No wonder I’ve done everything wrong so far. This is not going to be easy.’  
  
He sipped from his cup and looked around the room. It was late and there weren’t too many people around. There was a young couple sitting in the far corner, completely engrossed in each other and paying no attention to anything or anyone else. A middle-aged man sat at the counter resting his head on his hand. He looked like he was asleep. A woman sat in one of the booths, gently rocking her sleeping baby.   
  
Four years ago he’d have killed every one of them with a song in his heart. A year and a half ago, he’d have sat there whining that he couldn’t kill anyone, and wishing that he still could. Now he wondered how the idea could have ever entered his mind.   
  
He remembered all the times he’d mocked Angel over his goody-two-shoes, soul-having act; trying to redeem himself for his past sins. ‘You see, I was once a badass vampire, but love, and a pesky curse, defanged me, and now I’m just a big fluffy puppy with bad teeth.’ The same might now be said about him, with ‘pesky curse’ replaced by ‘sodding chip.’ And Spike still hated him. There was no question of not hating him. But now at least, he understood a little better what Angel wanted. To find a place in the world. To fit in.   
  
“Well, well,” a mocking voice broke through his thoughts, “Spike. This is a pleasant surprise.”  
“Piss off Harris,” the vampire shot back without looking at Xander. “I’m really not in the mood to exchange pleasantries with you tonight.”  
“Too bad,” Xander said, smiling as he sat down at the table opposite Spike. The vampire sighed and raised his eyes to the brunette, quirking one eyebrow in question. While Xander and Spike had formed an uneasy truce over the past few months, it was generally held by both of them, that they would never, ever, under any circumstances, become friends. So the blonde vampire was more than a little curious about why the whelp was sitting here with him.  
  
“Anya’s watching girly stuff with Willow and Tara. I had to get out of the house when Will said they were going to watch ‘The Piano’ next.”  
Spike snorted with laughter and nodded in agreement. “Don’t blame you mate. Bloody awful film. I watched it with Dru once…” he trailed off and shuddered slightly at the thought.  
  
“So you don’t mind if I stay here? Even your company is better than nothing.”  
Spike grinned falsely at the boy. “Thanks.”  
“Hey, you should take that as a compliment,” Xander told him, resting his arms on the table. “It means that I can accept your evil status and not spend time figuring out how to kill you when you’re not looking.”  
“Do that a lot do you?”  
“Every day the three years Angel was here. You’ve been in our lives a lot less time. Well, in the non-killing way anyway.”  
  
“So when did you stop plotting to kill me?”  
“The minute I found out what you did for Buffy and Dawn. I saw what the hellbitch did to you. Not telling about Dawn must have been hard, especially for…”  
As Xander trailed off Spike picked up the train of thought and carried on. “Go on say it, especially for a soulless demon.” Xander looked away and Spike was surprised that the boy seemed almost ashamed of what he’d been thinking. “Don’t worry about it. Anyway, it’s nothing any of you wouldn’t have done.”  
  
“No, but it wasn’t any of us. It was you.” Xander affirmed, trying to reassure the vampire that he understood his sacrifice. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, as neither of them really knew how to carry on the awkward conversation.   
  
Finally Xander spoke. “I still don’t like you.”  
Spike smirked across the table at him. “I know. And the feeling is more than mutual I assure you.”

 **Chapter 4**  
  
“One minute, you’re in your normal life…”  
 _Cordelia – ‘Teacher’s Pet’_  
****  
  
“Why am I here again?” the blonde Englishman asked as he stepped into the store behind the attractive blonde lady. The sales-assistant ran her eyes over both of them, skilfully assessing as she made her way towards them.   
  
“I’m trying on wedding dresses,” the woman hissed at her friend.  
“Yes but why am I here?”  
“I need a man’s opinion and it’s not allowed to be Xander. Besides, you’re my best friend.”  
“Well it’s a reason,” the handsome bleach-blonde answered and paused slightly before adding, “Did you say best friend?”  
  
The sales-assistant took this moment to interrupt. “Good evening. I’m Charity. Can I help you?”  
The blonde lady beamed brightly at her. “Yes. Thank you. I’m getting married and would like to try on some wedding dresses. Please.”  
The man remained silent, but his eyes were laughing as he stared at his friend. Charity refused to be ruffled by the woman’s forthright and over-eager manner. After all, most brides-to-be were the same.  
“Certainly. We have a wide collection. If you’d like to pick out the ones you’d like to try, we’ll take it from there.”  
  
The young woman immediately turned to her friend and gestured at the dresses that lined the walls of the small boutique. “Ok Spike. Which ones do you like?”  
Charity raised her eyebrows slightly at the lady’s willingness to turn the whole thing over to ‘Spike’. Then her knees almost buckled at the fond look he was giving his friend. The half smile on his face told Charity that he was amused, but also flattered.  
“I think how it works An, is… you pick the ones you like and then I’ll help you pick one from those.”  
  
****  
  
“What do you think?” Anya asked as she stepped out of the changing room in he first dress she had chosen to try. Spike was seated on a comfy chair in front of a wall of mirrors. So far Charity had not drawn attention to the fact that he cast no reflection for which Spike was tremendously grateful.  
  
He looked up at Anya who was beaming with excitement and happiness and had to hold back a laugh. “You look like Little Bo Peep.”  
Anya’s face fell as she looked at herself in the mirror. “You don’t like it?”  
Spike shook his head before remembering that she couldn’t see him in the mirror. “No. Far too frilly. Too many bows.”  
  
She nodded once as though committing the information to memory and then disappeared back into the changing room. She wasn’t gone long. “How about this one?”  
  
Spike frowned as he looked at her, tilting his head from side to side as she bounced nervously on the spot. Finally he shook his head. “Too plain. You’re meant to look like Cinderella or somethin’. That’s what the nibblet said anyway. You want something big, but without so many bows.” Anya frowned this time, thinking Spike’s advice through carefully as went back into the changing room.  
  
“I think Xander would like this one,” the former demon said as she floated back into the store. Spike looked up at her and his jaw instantly hit the ground, as his eyes widened. For a moment the vampire struggled to speak. “Every straight bloke on the planet would like that one,” he croaked before his brain managed to crawl it’s way back into his head where it belonged. “No way!! Not for a wedding!” he practically shouted and then winced at Anya’s hurt statement. “Buy it for the honeymoon and give Harris a heart-attack,” he added with a slight smirk and was rewarded by another of Anya’s bright smiles.  
  
“Alright Spike,” Anya called out before she opened the dressing room door. She stepped out continuing with her warning. “This is the last one so you’d better… What? What’s wrong?”  
Spike was staring. He knew he was staring and he knew he probably shouldn’t be, but he couldn’t remember ever seeing Anya look so radiant. He knew she was beautiful. Now, however she was a vision.   
  
“Nothing,” he eventually answered her, “I uh… wow.” Anya grinned at his response and spun around, showing off the whole of the dress. “Anya, you look beautiful.”  
“Really?” she asked hopefully, “It makes me feel special.”  
Spike grinned, “You look like a princess. I’d marry you in a heartbeat, if it wasn’t for… you know.”  
Anya nodded. “Buffy. And obviously the fact I’m marrying Xander.” The former vengeance demon grinned as she made her way back to the changing rooms. “I’m taking this one,” she told the assistant brightly as she passed.  
  
Five minutes later Spike glanced wearily at the changing room door. Anya was taking her time and Spike was getting restless. “Bloody women,” he mumbled to himself as the sales assistant passed and frowned at him.  
  
Another ten minutes later, Spike was worried. What was taking her so long? Nothing should take that long should it? Something had to be wrong. He stood and walked quickly over to the changing room. “An?” he called through the door. “An? Are you in there?” When she didn’t reply he hurriedly pushed the door open and his eyes widened in shock.   
  
Inside the small room Anya’s chosen dress lay discarded on the floor, her bag lay open next to it and a few of her things had fallen out.   
  
Anya wasn’t there.  
  
Spike’s eyes narrowed and swept the tiny room for any clues about the former demon’s disappearance. A small doll hanging from one of the clothes pegs finally captured his attention. He grabbed it and tore off the small piece of paper, which hung around its neck.   
  
Teeth clenched he crumpled the paper in his hand and ran from the store as fast as possible, heading for the Magic Box, as the single word burned into his brain.   
  
**ONE.**

Chapter 5  
  
“If the apocalypse comes, beep me.”  
 _Buffy – ‘Never Kill a Boy On the First Date’_  
****  
  
“BUFFY!” Spike shouted as he burst through the door of the Magic Box. The four occupants of the store looked up at him, Buffy immediately stepping closer when she realised something was wrong.  
“What? What is it?”  
“Anya. She’s gone, someone took her,” Spike spoke quickly, the panic in his voice causing the women to shiver slightly in fear.  
“Spike. Calm down a second ok. Tell me exactly what happened. From the beginning. I thought Anya was out looking for wedding dresses.”  
  
“Yes she was, with me. She chose a dress, she went to get changed. I waited and then she was gone. And all that was in the changing room was this. He held out the doll and the crumpled piece of paper. Buffy took them apprehensively, a sick feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.   
  
Willow moved quickly to stand behind her best friend, taking the paper from her and looking at it. “Oh goddess,” she breathed before sitting down heavily allowing Tara and Dawn to take the paper from her.  
“Well what does this mean?” Dawn piped up, hoping that her sister would reassure her that it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was.  
  
Buffy’s eyes were fixed on Spike, whose statement was a mix of anger and fear. Dawn’s frightened voice however forced her attention back to her sister and friends. “It means we have to go and kick some demon ass. We’re going to find Anya, turn whatever took her into a very bloody pulp and then we kill it,” the Slayer told them trying to convince herself as much as the others.   
  
“What if it’s not an it?” Dawn asked. “What if this time the evil is just some psychotic human? Some weirdo who’s stalking us all?”  
“Stalking me,” Spike rasped out and four heads swivelled to stare at him in question. The vampire continued. “The message was left for me. She was with me when it happened and whoever did this left that note for me.” Spike already had a good idea who the perpetrator was. He knew of only one person with a childlike obsession with dolls and a desire to not only hurt him, but all of these newly made friends. Especially Buffy. The fear Buffy was reading on his face was an unnatural, for vampires anyway, anxiety for Anya and what might befall her, mixed with a dread that he may finally have to kill his former love. If Drusilla had taken Anya, and in anyway tried to follow through on the implied promise of the note, then one hundred and seventeen years together notwithstanding, Spike was going to dust her.  
  
There was a moment of silence while confused and fearful thoughts flew through their heads. Buffy really, really wanted to ask Giles what to do and then be able to go out, kill something and have Anya back before Xander found out and started hyperventilating. “Oh no,” Buffy breathed as that thought entered her head. “How do we tell Xander?”  
  
****  
  
“Bye,” Xander called, holding up a hand to a few of his work mates as they stumbled down the street in the opposite direction. Xander sighed and shook his head as he began to walk home. He wished he’d never bothered going out that evening. There was something strange about talking with people who had no idea that demons existed. And as often as he told Anya that he had plenty of male friends to spend time with, the truth was it just wasn’t the same when the guys he knew weren’t vampires or werewolves, or secret military agents.  
  
A feeling that something bad had happened or was going to happen overtook him and he quickened his pace, wanting to get home to his fiancée as quickly as possible. Two blocks from their apartment he heard a sound like crying coming from an alley as he passed. He stopped and turned to see who was there, his mind torn between wanting to help someone in danger and the knowledge that vampires were more than capable of setting unknowing humans up like this in order to trap them. Just to be on the safe side, he cautiously pulled a stake out of his jacket pocket.  
  
“Hello? Who’s there?” he called, biting back his fear and forcing his voice to remain calm. A small child came into view and Xander relaxed slightly. He knew this could still be a trick, but the odds, he hoped, were now a little more in his favour. “Hey. Don’t be scared ok. Are you lost? Are you hurt?” The boy turned his large sad brown eyes up to Xander and the young man smiled reassuringly. “You want me to take you home to your mommy?”  
  
The child nodded, rubbing his eyes with one hand as he carefully extended the other towards Xander. The last thing Xander remembered was taking hold of the boy’s hand.

 **Chapter 6**  
  
“Good that’ll show ‘em… Did it show ‘em?”  
 _Willow – ‘The Pack’_  
****  
  
Willow was panicking. She hadn’t panicked properly in a very long time, but now she was reverting to junior year of high school style panic. Xander was missing now too. They had all gone together to Xander’s apartment to inform him about Anya, hoping that he had returned from his night out, but he hadn’t been there.   
  
Instead, hanging from the front doorknob was another doll, male this time, with a piece of paper pinned to its chest. Buffy angrily tore the paper away and ground her teeth as she read it, before handing it to Spike, whose eyes were becoming more and more wild with each passing minute.   
  
**TWO.**  
  
Dawn clung tightly to Tara’s hand as her sister walked the full length of the hallway before returning and kicking the door open in one swift motion. The small group looked around their friends’ apartment for any clues, but could find nothing out of the ordinary. Once again it was as though Xander had just vanished.  
  
So Willow went from fear and anxiety about Anya to meltdown in the space of two minutes and Buffy and Spike were following her at a rapid rate. The five friends sat down in silence, each thinking everything over and trying rationally to come up with some sort of explanation.  
  
Just as Spike was about to share his ‘It’s Drusilla’ theory, Buffy jumped up and grabbed the phone from the kitchen counter. She entered the number carefully, and then paced silently between the kitchen and living room as she waited for the phone to be answered.  
“Who are you calling?” Tara asked gripping both of Willow’s hands in support now that Dawn was curled up on Spike’s knee.   
“Giles,” Buffy told them shortly and there was a collective sigh of relief from the others. Giles would surely know what to do.  
  
The ringing stopped and Buffy’s face went ashen as she heard the unfamiliar voice on the answer phone. The handset fell from her limp grasp and she started to fall. Only Spike’s vampire reflexes stopped her from hitting the floor. Dawn ran to pick up the phone and held it to her ear, listening as Buffy had done to the new message. She clamped her hand over her mouth and raced to the bathroom. Spike looked desperately between the unconscious woman in his arms, and the bathroom door, where his other favourite girl was busy being violently sick.  
  
Tara decided to brave the phone message, but heard only the dial tone. She quickly pressed redial and tried to send as many soothing thoughts to the others as she could as she waited. The answer phone clicked on and one word repeated every few seconds, sending a chill down the young witch’s spine.  
  
 **THREE.  
**  
****   
  
Dawn sat on the bathroom floor, leaning her head back against the door. She sobbed quietly to herself, trying to control the nausea that had swept over her at the confirmation of her fears. Something or someone wanted them dead. Or maybe not dead, maybe it was worse than dead. Maybe they were needed for some sort of ritual.   
  
That thought made Dawn lurch towards the toilet again. The last ritual had killed her sister. She couldn’t stand losing Buffy again; couldn’t stand losing anyone. The door opened behind her and she knew Spike was standing there, waiting for her to tell him if she was alright. She wasn’t going to say it though. She wasn’t alright.  
  
Spike moved suddenly and caught Dawn up in his arms, carrying her back to the living room where he settled her with her sister on the couch. He wanted to tell them he wouldn’t let anything happen to them. He wanted to tell them he’d die before they were ever hurt. But they knew that was how he felt and he wasn’t going to make any more promises he didn’t know whether he could keep.  
  
Buffy sat in total shock. Within the space of an hour her world had been turned upside down. She wanted to do something, knew she had to do something, but she didn’t know where to start. She looked up at Spike who was pacing the length of the couch. He felt her gaze and turned to face her, his statement immediately softening. “We’ll fix this,” he told her with a small smile, putting reassurance above certainty this time. Last time something like this had happened she’d gone into a coma. He really needed her at full Slayer strength right now.  
  
She nodded carefully and squeezed Dawn’s hand gently before heading into full Slayer mode. “Ok. Anya, Xander and Giles are all missing. The only clues we have are two dolls and three not very telling messages. Anyone got any ideas?”  
Spike cleared his throat and the others turned to look at him. “It could be Dru.”  
  
Everyone sat silent for one minute before Buffy bit out dangerously, “What?”  
Spike took a step back and tried to explain rationally. “The dolls. Targeting you lot, targeting me even. It makes sense.”  
“Drusilla?” Buffy repeated, her voice deceptively even. Spike could only nod. Buffy turned to Willow and Tara. “We’ll walk you back to the dorms. Grab some things. You’re coming to stay with us.”  
  
****  
  
Buffy, Spike and Dawn sat in the lounge waiting for Willow and Tara to return. Dawn sat between the vampire and Slayer, clinging to their hands and throwing nervous glances around her from time to time.   
  
Spike tried catching the Slayer’s gaze from time to time but she refused to look at him. His anger continued to build until he felt like hunting his former lover down and staking her, whether or not she was the one behind this.   
  
The Slayer’s own feelings were confused. She wasn’t angry at Spike; she just didn’t know how to deal with the situation presented to her. She may just have to kill the former girlfriend of the man who now professed to love her more than anything in the world. A woman he’d spent one hundred and seventeen years with. A woman he’d loved all that time. Right up until he’d met her. Of course, he’d offered to do it himself, but Buffy doubted he’d be feeling the same way now. There was, after all, nothing left to prove.  
  
****  
  
Willow packed magic books and general ingredients into a bag, while Tara hurriedly threw some clothes into another. “So Drusilla,” the blonde witch began conversationally as Willow transferred Amy from her deluxe living cage to the smaller carry cage. “I mean, I caught some of the history last time, but do you want to explain it to me again? It’s confusing.”  
  
Willow nodded frantically as she tried to remember spells she might need from the various tomes covering their desk. “Ok. When Angel was evil, he became obsessed with Drusilla…”  
  
****   
  
Buffy jumped up from her seat as Willow and Tara started to descend the stairs. Spike and Dawn stood also and the three made their way across to the two witches. As the two witches reached the bottom step, they froze. Buffy stared in horror as a blinding white light surrounded her two friends. She turned away, not being able to look at it directly, pulling Dawn against her so that her sister wouldn’t be hurt.  
  
The light dissipated and they turned back to where Willow and Tara had been. Dawn thought she was going to be sick again when she saw the two dolls hanging from the banister. It wasn’t hard to guess what the pieces of paper attached to them said.   
  
Buffy was beginning to fall apart, and even Spike was at a complete loss. It couldn’t be Dru. She didn’t possess such power. This was the work of someone a hell of a lot stronger and more proficient in the black arts.  
  
He grabbed the two dolls and looked swiftly at the pieces of paper, shoving them angrily in his duster pocket before moving back to Buffy. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked steadily into her eyes. “Don’t give up ok. There is an explanation for everything. And even if I have to kill everyone and everything else on this earth, we are going to get them back, do you understand?”  
  
The Slayer smiled at the vampire’s words, feeling more calmed by his threats of violence than by any soothing platitudes the others might have offered in such a situation. Before she could speak however Spike frowned and pulled the dolls back out of his coat. He unfolded the pieces of paper and Buffy tilted her head to see what was causing him so much concern. When she saw the words she realised the problem.  
  
Willow and Tara were supposed to be four and five. So why were the bold words staring back at them, **SIX** and **SEVEN**?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 7**

“So he is a good vampire? I mean on a scale of one to ten. Ten being someone who’s killing and maiming every night. One being someone who’s, not.”

_Willow – ‘Angel’_

****

 

Angel looked at the door for the tenth time in a minute and Fred stopped talking and simply waited for him to explain what was wrong. “They should be back by now,” he said at length, “Shouldn’t they be back by now?”

The young girl nodded even though he had already moved away from her, and she pushed her glasses more firmly on her nose. “I think…” she began hesitantly but the souled vampire interrupted.

“I should have gone with them. They might be in trouble. They might be hurt. Should I go after them?”

Again Fred started to speak but gave up as Angel started to pace. “I can’t let her get hurt,” he murmured and Fred smiled slightly.

 

“She’s very beautiful,” she told him, repeating the first thing that entered her brain. Angel started and looked up at her intently causing her to blush.

“What?” he asked, trying to sound casual. It came out abrupt and the young girl winced slightly.

“Cordelia’s very beautiful. And nice. You know what else is nice? Ice-cream. And fish. I mean live fish in the sea or in an aquarium, not fish to eat. Of course that’s nice too but… oh don’t mind me, I’m just rambling. You know how I am, ramble, ramble…”

“Fred,” Angel interrupted once more, “I’m worried about all of them, ok. They’re my friends.”

 

“Sure,” Fred agreed, nodding vigorously this time, “It’s just that you said her, and there’s only one her besides me, unless it’s the her you talk to Cordy about, you know the blonde girl you used to be in love with, of course you still might be in love with her, I’m just saying that it’s sounds an awful lot to me like…”

 

The front door burst open and Gunn raced through, stopping Fred in her tracks and making Angel hyper-aware of the fact that Wesley and Cordelia weren’t with him. He didn’t need to ask the question though. Gunn was just as panicked. “We got problems.”

“Where are they?” Angel asked, trying to stay calm, but knowing it wasn’t going to last.

“They vanished. And I’m not kiddin’ Angel. One minute they were there, and the next I’m just standing by myself.”

 

“Was it the Lautum?”

“No we killed that. Angel, they vanished. Right in front of me. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes… But I swear. They just disappeared. You don’t think I would have tried to…?” Angel stopped his friend, knowing that Gunn would have done all he could to protect the others. But how can two people just vanish? “Oh,” Gunn continued, pulling something out of the pocket of his jacket. “These were lying on the ground where Wes and Cor were standing.”

 

Angel frowned at the dolls and the pieces of paper pinned to their chests. One of them read **FOUR** and the other read **FIVE**.

 

****

 

Buffy knew immediately who four and five were. She didn’t know how she knew, but she felt it and there was nothing like Slayer-sense when it came to the weird and not-very-wonderful. She turned immediately to Spike. “Your car,” she ordered, before grabbing Dawn’s hand and leading her towards the exit. Spike didn’t respond but knew it was more than his unlife was worth to disobey. He quickly caught up to them and held Dawn’s free hand, knowing that at least this way, if they were taken, they all went together.

 

They moved as fast as possible through the town, to the garage where Spike’s car sat waiting for him. All three climbed into the front seat without a word, and Spike started the engine.

“Where are we going?” he asked as he drove slowly to the main road. He had a bad feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“LA,” Buffy answered shortly and the vampire sighed. Yeah, he really hated the answer.

 

****

 

Buffy pulled open the front door of the hotel and guided Dawn through in front of her. She held it open for Spike who was trailing along behind them, looking less than thrilled. Buffy turned back to face him. “Come on.”

 

Spike shook his head. “You go on love. I’ll wait here if you don’t mind.” The Slayer frowned at him and he realised she was going to need more than that if she was going to let him stay out of Angel’s way. “We didn’t exactly part on good terms, luv. Last time I saw Peaches he was still sporting the scars my hot pokers had inflicted on hi…” Oops big mistake. He’d be lucky if she didn’t kill him herself now. Better remind her. “That was a long time ago Buffy.”

 

The Slayer sighed. He was right. She had forgiven him much worse things. And Angel obviously hadn’t been too badly hurt. “Ok. I’m not angry that you tortured Angel. But you are coming in here with us. I’m not losing anyone else. I want you where I can see you.” And that was final. Spike followed her inside and the pair glanced around the spacious lobby.

 

“Well it’s nicer than the last place,” Buffy whispered to him and Spike also lowered his voice when he answered. “Yeah and a lot more space for him and his hair to practice their brooding skills.”

Dawn stepped closer to Spike and took hold of his hand. He glanced down at her and smiled.

“What’s wrong pet?”

“Nothing,” Dawn murmured back, “Angel just gives me the wiggins that’s all.” Spike gave a shout of laughter and even Buffy couldn’t control her giggle at her sister’s actions.

 

Angel looked up at Gunn and Fred at the sound of laughter in the foyer, and they shared a look before the two men each grabbed a weapon and headed out of the office, closely followed by a curious Fred. Angel knew Spike was there before he’d reached the office doorway and ran through the reception to greet his surrogate Childe. He stopped dead when he saw Buffy and Dawn were with him.

 

“Buffy?”

Buffy, Dawn and Spike turned in unison to the dark vampire and the Slayer breathed deeply before moving down the steps towards him. “Hi Angel.”

Dawn pushed herself slightly under Spike’s arm and the vampire snorted with laughter again, breaking Angel’s gaze from Buffy and directing it at him. “Spike,” Angel spat taking a threatening step towards the blonde vampire. Spike stood his ground and Dawn gave a small squeak of fear, even as Angel found himself blocked by Buffy’s Slayer strength.

 

“Down boy,” she told him firmly. “He’s with me. And we have more important things to worry about right now than your petty squabbles.”

Spike visibly glowed at Buffy’s assertion that he was with her, while Angel frowned suspiciously at them. “Buffy, it’s Spike.”

“Long story. I’m surprised you haven’t heard it already. We’ll tell it to you later, right now, can you tell me if anyone’s missing?”

Angel stiffened and looked seriously down at her. “Cordelia and Wesley. Apparently they just vanished. There were a couple of dolls left when…” Angel stopped when Dawn gasped and he looked up at her, concerned, to find Spike holding her tightly.

“I’ve told you before nibblet,” the blonde vampire was telling the teenager, “I’m not going to let anything hurt you.”

 

Angel frowned in confusion and looked down at Buffy, but his surprise merely grew when he saw the fond look she was giving them. She felt his gaze on her and looked up at him with a small smile. “Four and five?” she murmured so that only those with vampiric hearing could hear. Her former lover nodded. “Ok,” she said with a sigh, “let’s start at the beginning.”

 

 

 

**Chapter 8**

“You have a secret and that is not allowed!”

_Buffy - 'I Robot, You Jane"_

****

 

Spike and Dawn sat opposite Gunn and Fred in the small office, as the two girls exchanged life stories. The two males divided their attention between sizing each other up and trying to discover what Buffy and Angel were talking about as they sat together on the couch.

 

“Everything’s been going great. I’m getting back into the swing of things. And then boom, some psycho goes and kidnaps all my friends. And even I know there’s no way it can be Dru. Scary and strong she is; more powerful than Willow? I don’t think so.”

“Why would it be Dru?” Angel asked, the thought that it might be his insane Childe having never entered his mind.

 

Buffy was at a loss. Apparently no one had filled Angel in on the whole ‘Spike can’t hurt anyone and is working with us now’ scenario, so she had had to explain to Angel the last two and a half years with the blonde vampire. But even she hadn’t gone so far as to tell Angel the real reason behind Spike’s conversion to good. She didn’t want to see her friend and potential boyfriend beaten to a bloody pulp. Again. So how was she supposed to explain why Drusilla was more than usual, pissed off with her?

 

“The dolls,” Buffy blurted out as she realised she hadn’t spoken for a whole minute. “It was the dolls. Spike thought Drusilla, I thought Drusilla. Dolls and Drusilla.” She gave a nervous laugh and Angel raised his eyebrows.

“You’re not telling me something Buffy,” he said and she looked down, steeling herself to tell him the truth. She wished for a moment that she had Willow’s telepathic capability so that she could give Spike a five minute warning. She opened her mouth to explain but Angel cut her off. “And that’s good ‘cause I really don’t think I want to hear it.” The Slayer sighed with relief. “Now,” he continued, “I think I know where we might be able to get some help with this.”

 

Buffy followed him as he stood and walked back to the office doorway. Fred and Dawn instantly quieted. Spike and Gunn stood and looked towards Angel. “We’re going to Caritas.”

 

****

  
“There’s only one more thing to do,” Darla told Ethan as he finished explaining the rules of the game with a flourish. He eyed her nervously as she continued. “It’s going to be the hardest part, but I’m sure you can pull it off. Of course, it’ll all go so much easier if we have some… protection.”

Ethan nodded quickly. “There’s a spell, should be able to protect you, but you’ll only have time to do what you have to do. There’s nothing left in this world that make a vampire impervious to harm.” He flinched slightly as Drusilla approached and grabbed his arm. “The world spins. Stars telling me how to take back what’s ours.”

 

Darla smiled cruelly. “Well at least one of them. And if they all die on the way, at least it’ll be interesting.”

Drusilla clapped her hands excitedly. “Such pretty games. Can we go and play?”   
“It’s dangerous honey,” the blonde vampiress told her Grandchilde and Drusilla pouted. “It is dangerous isn’t it?”

 

“What?” Ethan asked, becoming more and more bewildered by their behaviour. “Oh, yes, yes, it’s quite dangerous.”

“Oooo,” Dru squealed in joy, “Then we should add the last piece at once.”

Darla nodded. “At once.”

 

****

 

“What’s Caritas?” Dawn asked Spike as they trailed along behind the rest as the group made their way to the bar.

“Caritas means sanctuary, pet,” Spike told her, before adding with a grin, “It’s also a karaoke bar.”

Angel stopped in his tracks and turned to face Spike. “You’ve been there?”

“Once or twice,” the vampire murmured and smirked at his Sire. “Please tell me you’re going to sing. That’ll just make my year.”

 

“You sing?” Buffy asked the dark vampire with interest. Spike snorted in amusement while Gunn tried to disguise his own laughter with a cough. Angel glared at them.

“Look it’s a long story. The main gist is, I have to sing to get the information I need.”

“The Host is psychic,” Spike explained, “but only when you sing.”

“You’ve done it?” Buffy was even more intrigued.

Spike shrugged. “Once before the Gem of Ammara business, and then again after…” He trailed off as glanced at Angel.

 

“Ok,” Dawn interrupted, sensing the tension between the two vampires, “I for one cannot wait to hear you two. But we have to get there first so…” Dawn stopped as she felt something surround her. A look of horror crossed her face and she reached for Spike and Buffy. The vampire noticed her fear and tried to grasp hold of her but she was pulled just out of reach. “Buffy!” Dawn screamed and her sister moved towards her but the teenager continued to stay at arms length.

 

“Buffy,” a voice called from the shadows of an alley on their right. “It’s been a long time.”  
Angel and Spike immediately stiffened, the blonde vampire throwing an accusing glare at the older man before stepping closer to the Slayer.

“Darla?” Buffy whispered in disbelief as the blonde vampiress stepped out of the alley. She turned in confusion to Angel whose face was a mask of anger.

“What are you doing here Darla?” Angel asked tightly, stepping closer.

“Oh, you know. Having a little fun with some old friends. Right now though it’s not really you I’m interested in.”

 

Buffy felt the same force that had surrounded her sister surround her and she was pulled to the other side of Darla. “I’m having fun boys, but I’m not ungenerous. William you get to choose. Your girlfriend,” she offered gesturing at Buffy, “or little sis. Which is it to be?”

Spike looked between Buffy and Dawn, knowing what he had to do but reluctant to give her up. He caught Buffy’s gaze and although she didn’t speak he knew exactly what she wanted.

 

“Dawn,” he said, his eyes still firmly locked on his love.

“Good choice,” Darla told him with a cruel smile and Dawn was immediately released. She ran to Spike’s side and he held her tightly as continued to look at Buffy.

“I’ll find you,” he told her firmly and she smiled at him, trying to force back her fear.

“I know,” she replied before the white light surrounded her as it had Willow and Tara and she was gone. Tearing his eyes from the Slayer’s last position he looked towards where Darla had been standing. But she to had vanished.

 

 

**Chapter 9**

“Xander was right. It worked like a charm.”

_Giles - 'The Puppet Show'_

****

 

The sun was shining brightly on her face as she awoke and looked around her. Immediately she knew something was wrong. “Spike?” she shouted but something inside her knew he wasn’t going to answer. He wasn’t there. She was alone.

 

Anya sat up and looked around her. She was surrounded by green, the fields and mountains in various shades made brighter by the sparkling sun. She stood slowly and forced herself not to panic. She had, after all been in far worse situations. She’d been the cause of many of them. But Buffy and Xander had always saved her and she had no doubt that right now, they were on their way to rescue her.

 

She saw something move in the bushes at the far side of the field and considered whether or not she should approach. It could be a demon. But then again, it was probably just an animal and Anya was in no way afraid of animals. She made her way towards it, taking in the surrounding countryside. She had never seen anything like this before. Not in this dimension at least. She raised her face to the sun and smiled. There were worse places to be trapped.

 

She leant over, peering through the bushes for whatever was there. It had always seemed more sensible to Anya to find out what those things were that startled you, instead of sitting in a corner cowering. At least if you faced it you would know. It was the not knowing in her experience that caused most of the fear.

 

Except in this case, when the former demon would have much rather been left in the dark. Not a demon no. It was much, much worse. It was a rabbit.

 

****

 

Xander opened his eyes and quickly shut them again. The last thing he remembered was trying to help the child find his mother. But it had been nighttime. And they had been in an alley. In Sunnydale. He cautiously opened one eye, hoping that he would at least find himself in some dark dank corner of his hellish town.

 

It wasn’t Xander’s day. He gave in and opened his eyes properly, standing as he looked around the forest he found himself in. “Great,” he muttered to himself. “Just perfect.” He took a deep breath and tried to relax. He repeated one sentence in his mind while he calmed himself down. ‘Buffy will save me.’ Not for the first time Xander was thankful that he was best friends with the Slayer. If he hadn’t been he would surely be dead by now.

 

The woman’s scream started him and he looked around in the direction it came from. Briefly he considered if going to help was wise. He had tried to help the kid and now he was stuck here. Xander sighed. Of course he was going to help. He ran towards the woman, her screams leading him through the forest. He came to a small clearing and stopped. He couldn’t hear her anymore.

 

Something crashed into his back and he went flying to the ground, instantly tensing as he felt the woman lying against him. She put her arms around him and started to sob. “Um miss?” Xander mumbled gently, “I don’t want to appear rude but, I’m engaged and I don’t think my fiancée would like it if I…”

 

“Oh, Xander, Xander thank God. It’s me,” Anya choked out and Xander rolled over to look up at her. Her face was streaked with tears and he felt his heart clench. He pulled her down to him and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

“Are you ok?” he asked, closing his eyes as he felt Anya’s presence calm the remnants of fear inside him. Anya too relaxed as he held her and the couple lay like that for several minutes, not moving. Finally Anya nodded against her lover’s chest. “I’m ok. But I don’t like it here. I want to go home.”

 

“Have you tried clicking your heels together three times?” Xander joked, relieved that at least she didn’t have to go through this alone. Neither of them did. They’d always have each other.

“No,” Anya told him, snapping out of her misery and looking at him, her eyes brimming with hope. “Does that work?”

Xander laughed. “Probably not.” Then he became serious. “Why were you crying? Did something hurt you?”

 

“There are rabbits here,” Anya announced and Xander tried not to laugh. “This place is truly evil.”

At that the young man did laugh. “There are rabbits back home,” he reminded her and she smirked.

“On the hellmouth. I think my point is proved.” Xander grinned and gave her a quick kiss before standing and helping his girlfriend to her feet.

 

“Do you know where we are?” he asked, looking around them once more, hoping to find something he had missed. Anya shook her head. “No.”

“Do you know how we got here?” Once again Anya replied that she had no idea. The pair sighed and silently started to walk hand in hand in the opposite direction, away the field with the bunnies.

 

****

 

Cordelia pushed her self into a sitting position, her eyes still shut against the pain that overwhelmed her. It was getting harder and harder to even stay conscious after one of her visions. She just hoped Wesley had managed to get her back to the hotel without scuffing her pretty ‘Angel’ shoes. Not that Cordy was as shallowly obsessed with clothes as she had been in high school; she just liked having special new things. And those shoes were special. Angel had bought them for her.

 

“Wesley,” she croaked, her mouth completely dry, “can you bring me a glass of water and some aspirin please?” Silence greeted her and a shiver raced along the brunette’s spine. She was never left alone after she had had a vision. Especially if she was unconscious. The boys were increasingly worried about her these days and one of them at least was always there when she woke up.

 

Most often it was Angel. He would sit by her, waiting for her to wake up, not to find out about the vision, just to make sure she was alright. But he wasn’t here now. No one was. That was when she realised she wasn’t lying on a bed, or a couch as usual either. No she was lying on the ground. The cold, hard stone….

 

Cordy’s eyes snapped open and she wished she were unconscious again. “Why me?” she asked the empty room as she stood and slowly turned around. “I mean out of the whole world, why am I the one that’s always getting sucked into alternate dimensions?” At least she assumed it was an alternate dimension. She had never seen any stone cottages in LA that was certain. She took in the wooden beams on the ceiling, the open fire and the sturdy wood table and chairs, and shook her head. “I swear, if any demon wants to mate with me here, I’m throwing myself off the nearest cliff.”

 

****

 

Giles saw the cottage up ahead and gave a grateful sigh of relief. He had been walking for what seemed like hours, without any sign of civilisation. He didn’t know what had happened to him. Instead of waking up in bed he had been roused from sleep by an animal’s cry, to find himself lying in the middle of a meadow. He had no doubt however that something mystical had occurred and had set of immediately to find someone to help him.

 

The cottage beckoned him, the smoke coming from the chimney inviting him closer. He had someone moving about inside and smiled, raising his hand to knock. He quickly ran a hand through his hair and straightened his pyjama top, knowing this was not exactly the best outfit for wandering the countryside. Still, it couldn’t be helped.

 

The door opened cautiously and he stared at the woman in the doorway. “Cordelia?”

The young woman’s face broke into a happy smile and she couldn’t stop herself hugging him. “Giles! Thank God.” She pulled away as quickly as she had moved forward, pulling him inside with her and quickly closing the door. “Do you know what’s going on?” she asked, getting straight to the point and completely ignoring the fact that he was wearing pyjamas.

 

“I have no idea,” he told her, but gave her a small smile in encouragement. He knew Cordelia had changed a lot over the past two and a half years. She had grown from a beautiful young girl into a truly beautiful person both inside and out and Giles new that she would give as much help as she could to getting them home.

 

“Well,” Cordy continued, her face becoming determined, “at least I know that Buffy’ll be looking us too now. I wonder if we’re the only ones here.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 10**

“Faster, but not really safer.”

Willow - _'Nightmares'_

****

 

“Willow?” Tara shouted as she looked wildly around for her girlfriend. “Willow!”

“Tara!” the redhead’s voice sounded somewhere in the distance and the blonde witch sighed with some relief. Willow was there and she was alive. For now that was all that mattered. Tara started to run as best she could, pushing through the overgrown grass, towards Willow’s voice. “Willow, I’m here. Keep shouting.”

“Tara!”

 

Eventually she spotted Willow’s telltale red hair and sank down beside her lover, wrapping her arms around her. Willow smiled up at her, though her face was covered in tears. “I knew you’d find me.”

Tara smiled, “I’ll always find you.” Then she noticed the tears. “Honey what’s wrong?”

Willow frowned. “My ankle. I think I twisted it. It’ll be ok. Can you help me up?” The two witches climbed uneasily to their feet.

 

“Do you know where we are?” Willow asked, trying to spot some sort of clue over the top of the grass.

“I can’t see anything,” Tara told her shaking her head.

“Spike!” Willow called inside her mind, hoping her telepathic capability meant she could still speak to the vampire. There was no answer. Willow offered Tara a tight smile and tried Xander. “Xander? Are you here?” Again there was no answer. Willow frowned and glanced furtively at Tara. This didn’t seem right. She had to try something. “Tara? Can you hear me?” The blonde witch didn’t respond.

 

“Tara,” Willow said aloud and her girlfriend smiled gently at her.

“Did you reach any of them?”

“You didn’t hear me?”

Tara frowned. “No I…” She stopped as she realised what that meant. “But it’s only the mind stuff right? I mean you haven’t lost your…”

Without giving Tara time to finish, Willow started to recite a spell. One she knew she could do as easily as breathing. Something she had been doing for three years.

 

Nothing happened. She looked at Tara, a little panicked and tried again. Nothing. “Tara?”

Without a word Tara tried one of her own spells and was dismayed to find that she couldn’t get it to work either. “It’s ok. We just can’t use magic here. That’s alright isn’t it? We know how to fight.”

“Well, yeah, kind of. But we haven’t really had much practice in it. We’re always with the magic.”

“We’ll be fine,” Tara assured Willow firmly, sounding far more confident than she felt.

 

****

 

Wesley saw the woman’s body lying by the stream and quickly sped up to help her. “Miss?” he called gently as he knelt down next to her. “Miss?” He hesitated only for a moment before pushing back the cascade of blonde hair that covered the woman’s face. Wesley stopped. “Buffy?”

 

The Slayer groaned as her mind crawled back to consciousness. She heard someone calling her name and pried her eyes open, trying to focus on the person in front of her. “Spike?” she asked hoping against hope that the blonde English vampire would be there to help her. She blinked a couple of times before the face in front of her swam into view. “Wesley?”

 

“Buffy, thank God!” Wesley exclaimed happily as he helped the Slayer to sit up. “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine, I think,” Buffy told him, rubbing her neck. Her eyes widened as she remembered the scene in the alley. “Oh God, Dawn. Wesley, we have to get back. It’s Darla, she’s…”

“Darla?” Wesley asked, becoming serious at the mention of the vampiress. “You saw Darla?”

 

“In LA, and you are going to tell me everything about that after you tell me what happened to you. Is Cordy here? Is she safe?”

“If she’s here, she’s not with me. You’re the first person I’ve seen. We were walking back to the hotel after killing the Lautum demon and suddenly there was this bright light. The next thing I knew, I was waking up here.”

 

“Ok. She’s here I know she is. So are Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya. We need to find them and fast. There’s no telling what’s out there hunting them. And us. That’s our first priority. Spike and Angel are working on the rest back home. I hope.”

“Spike?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you all about it after you’ve explained what Darla’s doing undead and well in LA.”

 

****

 

Willow and Tara pushed their way through the tall grass hoping that they were heading in the right direction. The redhead had classified the right direction as one that didn’t lead straight to the home of some huge scary demon and her girlfriend was more than happy to accept that definition.

 

“I wish we knew where we were going,” Willow told Tara with an angry pout.

“I wish we knew where we were,” Tara said with a smile, squeezing Willow’s hand a little tighter. “But Buffy and Spike will find us right? I mean they’ll do anything to…”

“Oh sure, sure they will,” Willow answered, trying to sound optimistic. “They’ll find a way to get all of us back home no prob… arggghhhh!”

 

Tara was pulled to the ground as Willow fell straight down a well sized hole that had been hidden from their view by the foliage. As she disappeared her scream rang out, as did Tara’s startled cry. “Willow!”

She held tightly to her girlfriend’s left hand with her right, trying to gain some leverage on the ground with the other.

 

The redhead dangled in the seemingly bottomless pit and divided her attention between Tara and the never-ending blackness. “Tara!”

“It’s ok sweetie just hold on,” Tara soothed gently, wondering how she could help Willow without the use of her magic. “I’m going to try and pull you up.” She took a deep breath and tried Willow’s resolve face.

 

“Ok,” Willow whispered, not feeling entirely sure that the plan would work. Magic they could do, research was no problem, but the other stuff, the strength and the fighting, they were always left to Buffy and Spike. The ones who were actually equipped to pull people back from the precipice. Still, the Slayer and the vampire weren’t exactly going to come running to the rescue this time. There was only Tara. She trusted Tara with her life. “Ok, sweetie,” she called again, suffusing her voice with confidence.

 

“Right,” Tara said determinedly and then began to pull Willow to safety. She knew something was wrong the moment she started. It shouldn’t have been that easy to lift her girlfriend up, but it was as though Willow weighed no more than a feather. Tara felt strong. She quickly hoisted Willow back to solid ground and her girlfriend fell against her, engulfing her in a hug.

 

“Tara, you saved me. God I was so scared. It’s been a long time since I couldn’t use magic to… And you were so strong, I mean you pulled me up like I weighed nothing.”

“That’s how it felt. I think something strange, well stranger, is happen…”

She was stopped by Willow’s kiss and the two young witches fell back onto the ground together, proving to each other that they were indeed alive and well.

 

****

 

Wesley and Buffy followed the stream through the forest to a clearing. The sight of the waterfall and small pool made them both smile and they sat for a while as the Slayer finished her story. “And then I woke up, which of course, you know.” She looked around again, grinning widely at the serenity of it all. “This is beautiful. If I wasn’t afraid we were going to be attacked any second by some psychotic demon, I’d seriously consider settling down here.”

 

“Yes it is rather picturesque. A little too perfect though don’t you think? Nowhere south of heaven could surely be so wonderful and not have any drawbacks.” Buffy’s smile faded slightly and Wesley frowned at her. “Is something wrong?”

The blonde Slayer shook her head. “I was just wondering…” she paused and looked around, considering what to say next, while her former Watcher kept his eyes trained on her face for her reactions. “I was just wondering whether or not I was in heaven. You know when I died.”

 

The Englishman nodded but didn’t speak. After a moment she continued. “I don’t remember any of it. It could have been hell, eternal torment… But I don’t remember. I just know I came back feeling different. At peace with myself.”

“Can I ask you something?” Wesley asked softly and the Slayer nodded. “Do you wish…? I mean do you ever think you’d rather have not come back?”

 

"Sometimes. I mean sometimes, I forget that I was ever gone. That I missed four months of my life, of their lives. But when I really think about it, I just want to know what happened to give me this sense of rightness inside. And whether I’m destined to be brought back from the dead every time I happen to die?"

 

Wesley smiled a little, but knew that part of Buffy at least, was being serious. "You deserve peace, of course you do but..."

"I know, I know. There's so much for me to do here, blah, blah, blah."

"Actually I was going to say we missed you."

"Oh," Buffy murmured a little startled by Wesley’s words.

"I mean, I didn't really see the others for very long but I know Willow was devastated and Angel…. We're all selfish beings. And they thought they were doing what was right."

"I know. And maybe they were. Doesn't stop me wondering though."

 

They sat in silence for several moments both lost in thought before a scream pierced the air causing them both to jump. They looked at each other briefly before racing through the clearing and up the hill. By the time she was half way up, Buffy was out of breath. Wesley kept shooting her worried glances, but refrained from saying anything as Buffy's confusion showed clearly on her face.

 

"Willow!" Buffy exclaimed as they stumbled across the redheaded witch and her girlfriend, who were sitting together where they had landed on the ground.

"Buffy!" Willow and Tara jumped up from the ground and the redhead and Slayer shared a hug. “Wesley!” Willow exclaimed as her eyes came to rest on the former Watcher over Buffy’s shoulder.

 

Buffy decided to ignore the introductions of Wesley and Tara for a moment and concentrated instead on the scream. “Will, what happened? We heard a scream. Are you ok?”

Willow stood back a little as Tara gestured to the hole. “She fell.”

“Tara caught me,” Willow beamed proudly as she told her best friend.

“Yeah it was weird,” Tara said, shifting uncomfortably under everyone’s gaze. “I felt strong. I mean, really super-power strong.”

“And we lost our magic,” Willow told the others, the worry creeping back into her voice.

 

The Slayer frowned. “I ran out of breath. Running up here. It was too hard. An effort. It’s never an effort for me. I’m the Slayer!” Buffy started to panic. She closed the gap between herself and her best friend and tried to lift Willow. The redhead didn’t budge. “I’ve lost my Slayer powers,” she whispered in shocked disbelief.

 

 

**Chapter 11**

“This is all about me. Me, me, me!”

Cordelia – _‘Out of Mind, Out of Sight’_

****

 

“William! Welcome back,” the Host called across the crowded bar as he made his way over to the two vampires and uncomfortable looking teenager in the doorway.

“We need information now,” Angel told him bluntly as he neared, glancing back up the stairs where Gunn and Fred were waiting.

“Well that wasn’t very polite,” Lorne said with a smirk, his eyes flicking over the small group. “You want to stop rushing into things head first, then maybe…”

“We really don’t have time,” Angel interrupted with a frown.

 

“Sure you do,” the Host told them with a smile. “You have all the time you need.” He turned his attention from the dark vampire to Spike. “Well, William? Was I right, or was I absolutely right?”

“No one likes a smart ass,” Spike assured him; albeit with a genuine smile as he reached into his duster pocket for a cigarette. “How you doin’ Lorne?”

“Actually a lot better since your Grandpa started dropping by. Did you take my advice? With the lady?”

 

Spike winced. “No. Next time, I promise I will do whatever you say.” He noticed the Host’s increasing interest in Dawn and smirked. “Lorne this is Dawn. Nibblet this is the Host.” The pair shook hands and Dawn smiled weakly at the demon. “You’re not evil are you? No of course not, ‘cause Angel wouldn’t come here if you were and Spike wouldn’t have brought me here and…”

“Shh, shh, honey it’s ok. We’re gonna get your sister back, no problem. You trust these two don’t you?”

 

Dawn looked up at Angel and Spike, and knew that each of them was willing to die to protect her sister. They’d get Buffy back. And the others. With a smile, she turned back to the Host. “Yes.”

“There you go then sugar. Now, Angel, send those two lurking in the doorway home. Nothing’s going to happen to them, the players are already in place.” He turned his head to catch the eye of one of the bartenders. “Charlie! Two beers and a coke,” he shouted, gesturing at a table next to the wall. “Oh and another Sea Breeze, if it’s not too much trouble.”

 

****

 

“She's good. A little nervous perhaps but she's young,” Lorne threw out to Spike and Angel as he focused his attention on Dawn, who was singing ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ up on stage because on, it was one of Buffy’s favourite songs and two, she knew all the words.

“Lorne...” Angel interrupted, feeling more frustrated with the green demon than he had ever felt before. Both Lorne and Spike ignored him.

“What do you see?” the blonde vampire asked, as he watched the young girl on stage with a feeling of pride.

 

“We're not here for that," Angel interjected again; ready to hit his Grandchilde, just to release some of the tension curling through his body. "We have to get everyone back, remember? Buffy and Cordy are...”

“I remember peaches. It's not exactly like I can forget. But Dawn's important.”

“That she is,” the Host murmured absently and Spike turned back to him, managing with some effort to pull away from glaring menacingly at Angel.

 

“So what do you see?”

“Hmm?” The Host looked at Spike and shook his head a little. “Not yet. Angel's right. Now is not the time.”

“But...”

“No,” he stopped Spike’s own mounting frustration with a look. “I can't reveal anything to you yet. When it happens, it happens.”

 

The three males sat back for minute, watching Dawn. Finally Lorne turned to them, keeping his voice low as he explained. “This is all about you two, boys. I gotta hand it to you; you sure know how to piss people off. Especially women.”

“So Darla and Dru are behind this?” Spike asked, struggling to remain calm, now their enemy was identified.

“They are,” the Host paused, searching for the correct way to finish, “the brains behind it, if you pardon the statement. The masters, pulling the strings.”

 

“Who else is involved?” Angel asked curtly, quite willing now to fulfil his promise to Darla about killing her the next time he saw her.

“Now that, I don't know. All I can tell you is that you two are going to be taking part in a little game, along with some of your friends.”

“What kind of game?” Spike asked, his eyes remaining intent on Dawn as she finished.

“Do I look psychic to you?” the Host asked irritably. Angel and Spike looked at him with exactly the same sardonic expressions on their faces. “Ok good point.”

 

They stopped to applaud Dawn as she left the stage and weaved her way back through the bar to join them. “But seriously,” the Host continued, “do you really think that if I knew everything about everything I'd be running this karaoke bar? What are knights in shining armour for if not to help fill in the blanks?”

 

“I hardly think Spike counts as a knight in shining armour,” Angel mocked as Dawn appeared at Spike’s side and wrapped her arm around his neck, showing her fondness for and solidarity to the vampire at Angel’s words.

“What's that proverb about glasshouses and stones?” the Host stared Angel down and the elder vampire shifted in his seat. “Getting a little big for our boots aren't we? There's an awful lot you don't know about your Grandchilde.”

 

It was Spike’s turn to shift uncomfortably as his Sire stared at him in disbelief. “Are you seriously telling me that he's going to...?”

“I'm telling you that he already has,” Lorne told him, effectively ending the conversation. “And to you William I'm going to give you a little piece of advice.” Spike raised an eyebrow in response. “Trust yourself.”

 

“That's it?” Spike exclaimed and he heard Buffy’s voice in his head asking the demon to vague it up a little.

“What do want Technicolor pictures and surround sound? It doesn't work like that.”

“But you know what's going to happen,” Dawn said, feeling a little lost in the conversation.

 

“No, I know what might happen,” the Host explained and the three others leant closer to absorb what he was saying. “What's going to happen is, of course, up to these two. I suggest you put aside your personal differences and try to reclaim whatever relationship you had in the beginning. There was a time, if I'm not much mistaken, and I’m not, when you two had some sort of respect for each other.” He opened his mouth to say more but stopped when his eyes met Dawn’s. He pointed to a door further down the wall from where they were sitting. “Bathroom’s down there honey.”

 

Dawn looked about to protest, but then quickly ran to the door indicated. The Host’s smile remained in place until the girl was out of sight and then it vanished from his face as he became deadly serious. “And if you have trouble getting back what you two had, remember this. Buffy will die. Again. And there'll be no coming back this time. Because this time, when she dies, you two will be all that's left standing.”

 

****

 

“How do we even know this is going to work?” Dawn asked as she trailed behind the two vampires as they re-entered the Hyperion.

“We don't,” Angel told her shortly before moving to the reception desk.

“You really trust that green guy?” Dawn continued looking pleadingly at Spike. “He was nice but...”

“Come here a sec nibblet,” Spike interrupted, leading the teenager away from Angel to sit on the couch at the other side of the lobby. Angel moved a little further away, seeming to give them some privacy but, desperate to know what was going on with his Grandchilde, he tuned his vampiric hearing to their conversation, listening intently to every word.

 

“Last time I saw Lorne, he told me to get back down to Sunnydale sharpish,” Spike began casually. “He said every question I had could be answered there. He said I'd find what I was looking for. But it wouldn't be exactly what thought it was. I was going to get something I'd always dreamed of and that I should be careful to treat I those I loved with the respect they deserved.”

 

Spike grinned wryly as he remembered. “I didn't know what he meant exactly, but I rushed off back to Sunnyhell and got this thing shoved into my head for my pains. That's when I stopped listening to him. But it all came true all of it.” He moved a little closer to Dawn, cocking his head to the side slightly so that he could look directly at her face.

 

“I fell in love with your sister a long time before I acknowledged it to myself. She was what I was looking for. Buffy and you and your mum. You Summers women sure know how to get to a bloke. Now we can talk about this now or when peaches and I get back but just remember, you and Buffy are all that matters to me. It took me a hell of a long time to figure it all out, and I'm still struggling to get it right, but you two are my family, and I will protect you both with my life.

 

  
**Chapter 12**

“I like your dress.”

Willow, Angel, The Master – _‘Prophecy Girl’_

****

 

“We’re almost there,” Darla drawled, smiling cruelly as she anticipated what was going to happen. “You should have seen the looks on their faces it was priceless, it really was.”

“So we’re done now, yes?” Ethan asked, edging closer and closer to the door, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two females. “I’ve done what you asked. It’s all up to them now really.” His hand closed around the doorknob just as a beautifully manicured hand fastened around his throat.

 

“It’s rude to leave before mummy tells you,” Dru whispered, closing her eyes as she leant closer to his neck. Ethan stiffened in fear. “Bad dog. You’ll have to be punished.” Ethan felt her fangs elongate against his skin and he finally accepted that this was it. Death had caught him at last.

 

“Dru, honey,” Darla interrupted, drawing the dark vampiress away from the shaking human. “We want him in one piece. And scared enough so that he’ll do anything for us of course. But there’s no need to go too far.” She gently brushed her Grandchilde’s arm with her hand as she passed and stood in front of Ethan her hands planted firmly on her hips. “You don’t leave until we say so. And I’m not going to say so until this game is over. You’re here for the duration. If anything goes wrong, I am holding you personally responsible.”

 

****

 

The phone rang dead on time and Spike and Angel shared an understanding look, before the elder vampire snatched up the receiver. “Darla?”

“Hello lover,” the vampiress’s voice trilled down the phone and Angel nodded at Spike, never breaking eye contact with his surrogate Childe.

“Darla, just a friendly warning before we begin, when I get my hands on you I’m going to…”

Darla chuckled seductively, interrupting Angel’s tirade. “Too late sweetheart. I remember all too well where your hands were the last time we saw each other. Alone I mean.” She paused and this time Angel remained silent, waiting.

 

“Oh, baby’s not gonna play? Ok, have it your way. The sooner the pair of you get started, the sooner people start to die and that’s the kind of game I like to play.”

“What game?”

“We’ll explain when you get here.”

“If you seriously think we’re stupid enough just to…”

Darla sighed. “Relax Angelus. You have to come here to get there, we can’t explain it fully when you can’t see what we’re talking about. You come, we explain, you go and try to save your friends. It’s quite simple.”

 

“Fine,” Angel snarled into the phone, “Where and when?”

“Now and the apartment I’ll give you the address to in a moment. But first there’s just one more tiny thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“Bring the girl.”

 

****

 

“I can’t believe you agreed to this,” Spike hissed glaring at his Sire, while holding tightly to Dawn’s hand as they made their way up to the apartment Darla had indicated. “Do you understand what keeping Dawn safe means?”

Angel didn’t answer, knowing full well that Spike was right and fully deserved to be telling him what a fool he was. He stopped outside the last apartment on the corridor and looked back at his two companions. “Trust, remember?”

 

Spike and Dawn rolled their eyes at each other and shared a small smile before nodding reluctantly at Angel. The dark vampire raised his hand about to knock gently, before stepping back and kicking the door open instead.

“Show off,” Spike mumbled he and Dawn followed Angel into the apartment.

“Darla!” Angel called and was greeted by a light being switched on overhead. The three glanced around the room to find Darla standing at one end of the room and Drusilla at the other.

 

“Angel,” Dru breathed and Spike twisted his face at Dru’s unceasing obsession with her Sire. “Spike!” she exclaimed happily, starting towards him, but she stopped as he stepped back, moving Dawn away from her. “My Spike doesn’t love me anymore. He just loves the Slayer.”

 

Spike thought about that for a moment, part of him wanting to tell her he’d always love her in some way, another part, a part that he had suppressed for the hundred and seventeen years he was with her, decided it was time to be a man again and tell the truth. “Yes, I do.”

Drusilla’s eyes flashed with hatred and Spike almost winced at his harshness, before remembering that Dru never apologised when she was cruel and realistically he had burnt all his bridges with her long before now anyway.

 

“Well, now the reunion’s over, what say we get down to business?” Darla spoke up, thoroughly bored by Spike and Dru’s evil-staring competition.

“And what is business?” Angel asked, casually moving to his right so that he was between Darla and Dawn as Spike was between Dawn and Dru.

“Why, the game silly,” she told him, gesturing towards the table in the centre of the room. Their eyes remaining trained on their former lovers, Angel and Spike moved with Dawn towards the table. On it lay a map, divided into grid squares. Some of the squares contained miniature figures of humans and demons; some contained buildings or weapons.

 

As Angel, Spike and Dawn became engrossed in what they were seeing, Darla and Dru moved to stand opposite them on the other side of the table. “The object is to rescue the princess,” Drusilla told them, her eyes coming to rest on Dawn who clung a little harder to Spike.

“Actually the object is to stay alive. You rescue the princess and you win the game. You win the game and you stay alive. You two will each captain a team. You play the game, you rescue the princess, the first of you to reach her wins.”

 

“What?!” Spike shouted as he stared in disbelief at the two women before him. “That’s sick. It’s insane.”

“We like to think so,” Darla said, smiling at him. Spike’s statement turned from disbelief to disgust and he looked away, ashamed that he had ever been involved in their lives. In a vampires life.

“What do you hope to gain by this?” Angel asked, understanding Spike’s feelings. He looked at these women before him and for the first time felt nothing but hate.

“Gain? Absolutely nothing. That’s the best part,” Darla answered before turning to Dawn with a small frown. “Ah the missing link. Ready for your big part princess?”

 

Dawn looked up at the blonde vampiress, her face expressing nothing but fear. “What?” she choked out nervously, as the same feeling she had had earlier started to surround her.

“No!” Spike cried desperately, realising what was happening and trying to hold onto Dawn as she was torn from his grasp. Both he and Angel tried to grab her, but as before, she floated out of reach.

“Bye,” Darla called as Dawn disappeared in a flash of white light, and a similar feeling started to surround the two males.

“Save the princess, win the game,” Darla reminded them, laughing as the vampires vanished into the game.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 13**

“Hi guys. Miss me?”

_Buffy – ‘When She Was Bad’_

****

 

Anya and Xander made their way towards the house wearily. They had been walking for hours and it was getting dark. They were tired and growing cold, so they pressed ahead, hoping that the owners would provide them with shelter for the night. “What if they're demons?” Anya asked Xander in hushed tones her eyes fixed ahead on the small stone cottage.

“Right now? I don't really care. All I want is somewhere to sleep that isn't cold and isn't outside. So I'm going to ask. If they kill us... Well then we don't have to worry about sleeping out here with the rabbits.” Anya shuddered and quickened her pace.

 

They stopped at the door and glanced at each other before the former demon pushed her fiancée forward. “Knock.”

“Me?” Xander exclaimed moving back to face Anya. “Why can't you knock?”

“You're the man. You're supposed to do it.”

“Since when have I been in charge?” Xander asked exasperated.

“Since we got here,” Anya told him and once again pushed him towards the door. “Knock.”

 

Xander took a deep breath and knocked quietly on the door. “Knock louder,” Anya ordered and Xander knocked again.

“Ok, ok,” a voice greeted them as the door swung open. “God relax will y.. Xander?”

“Cordy?”

“Cordelia,” Anya said with a smile, remembering she had been close to the girl once upon a time. Her smile faded when she remembered why they had been close. “You can't have Xander back.”

 

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Like I'd want him. Come in.”

Xander and Anya stepped into the cottage their gazes sweeping over the small room, coming finally to rest on Giles who sat at the table, still dressed in his pyjamas.

“Giles?”

“Xander! Anya! Thank God you're alright. What happened?”

The couple gratefully sat at the table and Cordy went to sit by Giles as they filled their friends in on what had happened.

 

****

 

Spike and Angel hit the ground heavily. They lay still for a moment checking for broken bones and injuries of any kind. When it was clear that neither of them had been hurt the blonde vampire turned to his Grandsire. “This is all your fault!”

 

“My fault? How can it be my fault? Darla and Dru are the ones who sent us here, and don't try and tell me I upset Drusilla because...”

“We both know she thinks the sun shines out of you. Well peaches I hate to be the one to break it to you but everything bad that happens I can trace back to being your fault. I've had years of experience at it. Lets see. How about, if you hadn't lost your soul and taken Dru away, we would still be together now? Maybe in Brazil. Not perfectly happy but getting along, just as we were before. I wouldn't have this bloody chip in my head, and we wouldn't be stuck here. Or maybe you'd prefer the one where, if you hadn't been such a drunken, whorin’ layabout, while you were alive Darla wouldn't have turned you, you wouldn't have turned Dru and she wouldn't have turned me. I'd have died of old age about eighty years ago.”

 

“And that's what you want is it William? To be dead and gone? ‘Cause just say the word and I will happily make that wish come true.”

“You still don't get it do you?” Spike said angrily. “You think because every woman you've ever met worships the ground you walk on, that I automatically will too.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Really?” Spike drawled. “Darla, Drusilla, Cordelia...”

“Spike...!”

“Buffy!”

“That's enough”

“Well I don't worship you. Maybe I did once upon a time, but that ended long ago.”

“When I got my soul back, I know...” Angel told him, growing angry himself and not wanting to talk with Spike about how much they hated each other now.

 

“No.”

“What?”

“It wasn't when you got you soul back,” the blonde vampire confessed quietly. “It was when you lost it again.”

“I don't understand.”

“Well I'll talk slowly and then maybe you'll manage to get the gist. When Dru turned me she was in no fit state to be my Sire in every sense of the word. You taught me everything; you helped me with everything. You made me what I was and I worshipped you for that. But when Angelus came back, a hundred years later, I wasn't the same. Inside me there were things that went against everything I was but as much as I hated them, all I could do was blame you for making me that monster in the first place.”

 

“Spike, I...”

“You took Dru, Angel. You didn't want her, didn't care about her the way you did Darla or love her the way I did. But you had the power. And you wanted to show me that she was still yours. Sometimes, in those hundred years you weren't around, she'd call for you and I never knew what to do. She'd scream your name and not mine and every time it happened I hated you. But I had her. And that was all that mattered. She needed me. But she never chose me. She never could and she never will. If there was a choice between you and me she'd pick you. And now I'm right back at the start again. But this time it's hell of a lot worse. I can't win can I? Because you're always there. Good or evil, you've always done something better. Better vampire to the vampires and a better man to the humans. And none of them get it. The only thing that changes you Angel is your soul. Without it, you're a monster, just like the rest of us. I don't have a soul. Which of us is the better vampire? Or the better man?

 

“And your chip is all that changes you,” Angel countered. “If it stops working or comes out, then...”

“Then what?! I'm going to kill all these people I've spent the last year protecting? If I'd wanted them dead that much I wouldn't have bothered. All those months she was gone that I spent waking up just before sunrise and having to remind myself that I couldn't just walk outside and greet it. You think you had it bad Angel? At least you had her for a while. You got to hold her and look after her and you never once had to look into her eyes and see her disgust and hatred of you. You gave that up, so if you were in pain I really don't give a damn. I had a week. One week where she treated me as something other than dirt. One week where I felt alive again. Where I felt like I had found my place in the world.”

 

“What happened to you?” Angel asked after a moment’s silence.

“I don't know,” Spike told him with a slight smirk. “Whatever it was though, I glad for it.”

“You are?”

“Do you remember what you told me about what we are as vampires being based on what we were? Do you remember what I was Angel? A poet. A romantic. A poor fool who wanted nothing more than to love and be loved. I was a good man. So what does that make me now? A good vampire?”

“I don't know what it makes you. I don't think it makes you anything. You make yourself what you are.”

 

“And have you got any words of wisdom about what that might be?”

“No. But I think I know someone who could.” Angel couldn’t really believe he was encouraging his Grandchilde to be with Buffy, but something about the way the Slayer had looked at Spike, made Angel feel like it was all meant to be.

“You seriously expect me to tell her all of that?” the younger vampire asked incredulously. He’d said a lot of things to Buffy in the past year and a half. They’d shared soul-bearing moments together. Well they would have been soul-bearing if he’d had a soul to bear. But usually the blonde Slayer had laughed loudly in his face. Or punched him. Or pushed him. Or ripped out his heart and stamped her pretty feet on it.

 

“I expect nothing from you William. I never did. That's how you managed to make me so proud.”

“What?!”

“You make me proud. I mean, a lot of the time a want to tie you up and drive hot pokers through your chest just to show you what it feels like, but if you're half the man Buffy described, then I'm very proud of you.”

Spike looked away and shifted uncomfortably. “Do you mean that?”

“Yes.” A silence descended between the two vampires, but it was a comfortable silence as they both came to terms with each other’s feelings.

 

“We better go,” Angel said eventually.

“Yeah,” Spike agreed, finally looking back at his Sire. “Together or apart?”

“If we stick together we won’t be part of the girls’ twisted plan. We have to find the others, then Dawn.”

 

****

  
Dawn woke up on a bed. A soft, incredibly comfortable bed. She opened her eyes sleepily, barely taking in her surroundings before her head lolled to the side and she snuggled a little further into the warmth.   
  
A dream. Thank God. She was in bed. Everything was fine.   
  
But no. Everything wasn’t fine. She wasn’t in the bed, she was on it. And she was holding something. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up with a jerk. She was lying on a four-poster bed in the centre of a round room. The sort of room fairy-tale princesses were locked in, before Prince Charming came to save them. 

The young girl looked down and saw she was wearing a long midnight blue, velvet dress of medireview style and was holding a small posy of white roses in her hands. Dawn rolled her eyes. “Geez, cliché much? Is there a dragon downstairs too?” She climbed off the bed and went to the door, tugging forcefully at the handle, but with no success. She sighed angrily and stamped her foot, before realising that no one could hear her and probably wouldn’t do anything even if they could. As Buffy had once told her, there was absolutely no point in having a tantrum when there was no one around to hear.

 

Dawn heard a sound on the other side of the door and ran quickly back to the bed, rearranging herself on it as she had been when she awoke. It amazed her she wasn’t more scared, but as she lay there, feigning sleep, she thought that after spending so much time with Glory, Darla and Drusilla seemed like amateurs and whatever the two female vampires had planned for her and her friends, it was nothing they couldn’t handle.

 

“Wakey, wakey. Rise and shine,” the British voice greeted her and Dawn gave up any pretence of sleep. She pushed herself into a sitting position, resting herself on one arm as she looked across the room at her visitor. Her smile was mocking and she raised one eyebrow in the way Spike had spent all summer teaching her. Buffy had been highly amused the first time she had seen it.

 

“Hello Dawn.”

“Ethan,” Dawn greeted with a fake smile. “I thought you were in some military stronghold.”

“Yes but I was let out for good behaviour. Aren’t you pleased to see me?” He set the tray he had been carrying down on a small table and sat opposite the teenager on one of the old-fashioned armchairs.

 

“Let’s see,” Dawn mused, pursing her lips. “The last time you were in Sunnydale you turned Giles into a demon, the time before that you made mom go all weird and act like a teenager and sleep with Giles. Ick. And the first time you came you turned me into a vampire at Halloween. So I’m thinking, no I’m not pleased to see you. You’re behind this?”

 

“Nope. Once again I am simply fulfilling the brief given to me.”

“By two evil demons. How could you?”

“Well they said, do it or die, and I quite like living so…”

“Buffy is going to be so mad when she finds out you’re the one who did this. She will kick your ass so hard…”

“Yes I imagine she will,” Ethan said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Still, can’t be helped. And if it’s any consolation Dawn, I really do hope they all find a way to win.”

 

****

 

“Stay together he says,” Spike muttered as he hurtled through the trees. He could no longer sense the demon behind him, but he didn’t want to take any chances. It had attacked the two vampires as they had stood arguing about which direction to head, and it’s sheer size and strength had had them running in the opposite direction at the first possible opportunity. Somewhere along the way however they had been separated and Spike really hadn’t been inclined to go back and look for his Grandsire.

 

The blonde vampire emerged from the wood into a clearing. The glistening waterfall and the silvery pool of water would otherwise have given him pause, but his attention was divided between the threat behind him and the relief at what was before him. Buffy. She was sitting with Willow and Tara – Thank God – and a dark haired man with glasses he judged to be Wesley from the others’ description of the former Watcher.

 

“Buffy.”

 

The small group looked up at the sound of his voice and Buffy visibly relaxed. Not sparing the others a glance, he moved quickly to the Slayer and pulled her into his arms. She held onto him tightly and they stood for a moment unmoving in each other’s embrace.

 

Finally Buffy stepped back and the vampire looked down into her face. “What’s wrong?”

The Slayer gave a weak smile and shook her head slightly avoiding Spike’s eyes. He grasped her chin lightly and forced her face up to look at him. “Tell me.”

 

Sensing that they were involved in something that was none of their business, the two witches and the former Watcher moved away from the vampire and Slayer, giving them some privacy.

 

“It’s nothing Spike,” Buffy began adamantly, but she could tell he didn’t believe her. If there was one person in the world who knew her better than she knew herself, it was him. She sighed. “I’ve lost my power.”

“What?”

“My Slayer powers. My strength and speed, they’re gone. I can’t run as fast or as far, without getting breathless. I can’t even lift Willow.” Her voice her started to break and her lower lip trembled a little as she pouted. For a moment all of Spike’s attention was fixed on her mouth. It looked so kissable. A memory surfaced. ‘ _Oh pouty. Look at that lip. Gonna get it…_ ’ Thankfully though his brain finally registered what she had said and his eyes snapped back to hers.

 

“It has to be part of the game,” he told her, deciding against the, everything’s-going-to-be-ok route again.

“What game?” she asked, as Spike’s statement drew the attention of Wesley, Willow and Tara. The Slayer glanced around her before a half confused; half fearful look crossed her face. “And where’s Dawn?”

 

 

**Chapter 14**

“Love makes you do the wacky.”

_Willow – ‘Some Assembly Required’_

****

 

Angel realised too late that Spike had run in a different direction to him. He could feel the creature behind him still and couldn’t afford to change course now. He had emerged from the forest a while ago and was now running across open fields, his vampiric sight searching ceaselessly for some sort of shelter.

 

****

 

Cordelia paced the small room endlessly as her three companions sat together, discussing what had happened to them. She felt as though she should be doing something. Xander was about to comment when she passed the window for the fifth time, but something caught her attention and she moved back to peer through the glass. Without a word she threw the door open and ran outside as fast as humanly possible.

 

“Angel!” she shouted with relief as she flew towards the vampire.

“Cordy,” Angel shouted back, his arms waving at her anxiously. “Get back inside!”

Cordelia stopped in confusion and frowned, seconds before the vampire swept her up in his arms and continued on his path towards the cottage.

“Invite me in,” he said hurriedly, dropping her to her feet just inside the threshold. The words took a few seconds to register before Cordy did as her friend asked.

“Come in.”

 

“With that the vampire stepped inside, slamming the door shut behind him. “Keller demon,” Angel announced, moving towards the window to check on the creature’s progress. “I think.”

“Angel,” Xander greeted with false cheer. “How’ve you been?”

Angel turned his attention to the other people in the room, nodding briefly at Giles and ignoring Xander. He moved to Cordy. “Are you ok? I was so… when you didn’t come back I thought… And then Gunn said…” he trailed off, unable to find the right words and Cordelia smiled.

“I know.”

 

The moment passed and Giles cleared his throat. “Angel, do you know what’s going on? Why we’re here?”

“We’re participating in a little game Darla and Drusilla cooked up,” Angel answered, scanning the room for something to fight the Keller demon with. Cordelia gave an annoyed sigh and rolled her eyes. “Angel, I’m only going to say this once more. Kill them. Kill them, kill them, kill them, kill them, kill them.”

“Actually you said that six times,” the vampire told her, moving towards the fire and lighting one of the logs that lay stacked at the side.

“I meant I’d only say the sentence once.”

 

“Um, I hate to bring this up,” Xander interrupted, “but Darla’s dead.”

Anya turned to look at him. “Are you sure?”

Xander smiled at his fiancée. “I was in the room when it happened. Not something I’m likely to forget.”

“Yeah,” Cordelia agreed with a smirk. “She died and now she’s back. Understand?”

Xander opened his mouth to ask how Darla could possibly have been brought back, but Anya, sensing what he was about to say, elbowed him none too gently, in the ribs. “Buffy,” she hissed and her fiancée nodded.

 

Angel passed a burning log to Giles and one to Xander, while Cordelia made a pair for herself and Anya. When each of them was finally armed, they made their way back outside, where the demon had finally stopped.

“Do you have a plan?” Cordelia asked her friend.

“Don’t die,” Angel offered before charging the demon, the others close behind.

 

****

  
Buffy approached Spike hesitantly, sensing his mood. She didn’t blame him for what Darla and Drusilla had done, knowing that they could have done the exact same thing at any other time and they’d all have been powerless, but she also knew Spike blamed himself.

 

“Hey,” she said as she sat down next to him at the side of the small pool. Wesley, Willow and Tara were theorising about what Spike had told them earlier on the other side, well out of earshot. “You ok?”

 

The vampire turned his head slightly in her direction but didn’t look at her. “I’m sorry.”

Buffy sighed. “We’ve done this. We went through all of this once when I got back from…” Buffy struggled slightly. It sounded odd to her, saying that she had come back from the dead. She knew she didn’t have to worry about it though. Spike always knew what she meant.

 

“Well if I didn’t let you down so much,” Spike was arguing, “maybe you wouldn’t have to say it.”

“If you let me down I wouldn’t say it,” Buffy told him. “It wasn’t your fault I died. It really, really wasn’t. And it’s not your fault Dawn is God knows where right now. It’s your evil-ex’s fault. And my ex’s evil-ex.” Spike smiled. “I knew I could get you to smile,” Buffy told him, chuckling softy.

“I’m still sorry.”

“Yeah I know. But I also know that you’d have died trying to save her.” He did meet her eyes then and she smiled softly, taking hold of one of his hands. They sat together like that for several minutes, neither saying a word.

 

Finally Spike spoke. “I’ll get her back for you.”

“We’ll get her back. For us.”

 

****

 

Tara watched the vampire and Slayer surreptitiously as Willow and Wesley made plans. Despite what she had said in the past, Tara was all for Buffy and Spike starting a relationship. She had grown fond of the vampire over the summer after Buffy’s death and since the Slayer’s return she had become convinced that the pair were perfect for each other. This situation wasn’t going to be the best for beginning a romance, but she thought it might help in some ways.

 

For one thing they were going to have to spend all day every day together, time enough Tara thought, for them to get a fully rounded picture of the other’s personality. And the Buffybot wouldn’t interrupt them, just when Buffy’s thoughts had taken a gooey Spike turn.

 

Therefore the blonde witch had just appointed herself the couple’s official matchmaker. While appearing to be listening intently to what her girlfriend and the former Watcher were talking about, she was devising ways to make sure Buffy and Spike spent some time alone together.

 

****

 

“So we’re looking for a castle or a tower of some sort?” Buffy asked Spike as she leant sleepily against him, her hand still entwined with his.

“I suppose so. That’s where evil tyrants usually stash the pretty princesses.” Spike was trying to act as casually as possible, despite Buffy’s warm body pressed against his side.

She yawned and unconsciously snuggled further into him. “And you’re sure Dawn’ll be alright ‘til we get there?”

 

“They might be nasty bints love; they might even be crazy, but they are not stupid. They won’t hurt Dawn until…”

“Until we get there?”

“Try to hurt her I meant. I swear Buffy, this time…”

“Don’t,” Buffy said turning her head up so she could look into his eyes. “I trust you. You don’t have to make me any more promises.”

 

Spike leant down and reverently kissed the top of her head. He waited until her breathing had evened out signalling sleep before his whispered. “I love you.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 15**

“If every vampire who said he was at the crucifixion was actually there, it would have been like Woodstock.”

_Spike - 'School Hard'_

****

 

Dawn stared out of the single window of the small room where she was being held captive and sighed. Realising what she had done she wrinkled her nose and shook her head. Spike would be disgusted if he knew she was behaving just like some simpering princess from a fairy tale. He might be overprotective sometimes and she knew he wanted to keep her safe from harm, but she knew that he also expected her to act properly when she was in dangerous situations. With some self-respect and dignity.

 

The teenager set her chin determinedly and thought about what her sister would do if she were locked in a tower like this. Dawn rolled her eyes. Buffy would have punched Ethan unconscious the minute she laid her eyes on him and then proceeded to walk out the front gates, killing any demon that happened to get in her way. Her sister, Dawn noted, was quite predictable when it came to things like that.

 

But what was Dawn? She’d never had the luxury of time to enable her to think her way out of problems like this. Whenever Glory had gotten hold of her, there had either been too much to do or too little time. Buffy, Spike and the other Scoobies had always arrived in the nick of time to rescue her. Even during the last battle with the hell god, Buffy had been there to save Dawn, even though it had cost her her own life. And while Dawn knew that once again her sister and her friends were on their way to rescue her, the knowledge brought little comfort.

 

Dawn remembered exactly what Darla had said before the blonde vampiress had sent her into this game. “ _You rescue the princess and you win the game. You win the game and you stay alive... You play the game, you rescue the princess, the first of you to reach her wins._ ” That meant that whoever reached her first got to stay alive. Maybe. But whoever was on the other team…

 

The young brunette jumped down from the chair she was standing on as her stomach rolled at the thought of causing anyone else to die. She really had to get out of there.

 

****

 

“Ow!” Angel exclaimed as Cordelia tended to one of the wounds the Keller demon had inflicted upon him. Luckily the others had escaped without serious injury. Xander particularly had fought determinedly and well, feeling a strength he didn't know he possessed as he battled the demon. He kept the surge of energy and power he had felt quiet however, not knowing where it had come from or whether or not it was permanent.

“If you held still it would hurt less,” Cordy told the vampire matter-of-factly, her attention fixed on the long cut on Angel’s back.

 

“Ok,” Xander began; ignoring Angel as best he could and trying to pull the conversation back to ‘The Game’. Angel had given his companions a condensed version of what had occurred after they had been taken and the others had been making suggestions about what they should do next while Cordelia helped the vampire. “It seems to me that it would be best for everyone if we found Buffy and the others. Spike has to be captaining their team right? It makes sense.”

 

“I agree,” Giles said, nodding thoughtfully to the young man. “If we’re all together…”

“We may not have time for that,” Angel spoke up as Cordy helped him back into his shirt. “Dawn’s in trouble. I know Buffy would want us to make her our first priority.”

“Are you sure you’re not just trying to save your own hide?” Xander exclaimed angrily, standing to face the vampire.

“Xander don’t,” Anya begged, pulling gently on his arm until he looked at her. There were tears in her eyes. He immediately backed down, forgetting even that Angel was in the room as he stared at the confused face of the woman he loved.

 

“An? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say. My best friends, my only real friends are lost out there somewhere and I want to go and find them I do. But then I think of Dawn and how she must be feeling. She’s all alone somewhere, facing God knows what and we may be the only people who can help her.” She stopped and drew a shaky breath. Xander knew she hadn’t finished so he stayed silent.

 

“If Dawn dies, it won’t matter to Buffy whether she’s alive or dead. Regardless of our own feelings, I think we have to help the person who’s most vulnerable here. Buffy, Spike, Willow, Tara… they can take care of themselves. Dawn can’t.”

Cordelia gave her former boyfriend and the ex-vengeance demon what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “They’re probably going to try and rescue Dawn anyway. I’m sure we’ll catch up with them eventually.”

 

****

 

Spike carried Buffy to the cave that Wesley had found to shelter Spike against the rising sun, careful not to wake the Slayer. He laid her gently down on the opposite side of the cave from the two witches and lay down next to her. Unconsciously, Buffy snuggled closer to him, her head innocently nestling in his lap and she made herself more comfortable. The vampire fought against the natural reactions of his body at having his love pressed so intimately against him and closed his eyes to try and get some sleep himself.

 

He had almost achieved his aim when Wesley shook his arm slightly, startling him back to full consciousness. He turned and faced the former Watcher, fixing him with an angry stare. “What?”

“I think we should talk about what we’re going to do this evening,” Wesley told him, far too familiar with Angel’s moods to be put off by an angry Spike. “Willow and I have discussed the situation, but as you’re in charge…”

 

“Look mate,” Spike said around a yawn that was intended for effect and was not the cause of any physical compulsion by the vampire, “You and Will have probably had far more practice at the planning thing and possibly had more success than I ever did whenever I bothered to sit down and work things out before hand instead of just charging in guns blazing. So here’s the deal. We’re going to rescue Dawn. That’s the plan. I don’t give a damn what you three add to that. To Buffy and me it’s simple. We find Dawn, we go home, we kill the bitches. Work from there.”

 

With that Spike gently shifted the Slayer and lay down next to her, pulling her firmly back against him so that her head was resting on his chest. Wesley stared at the vampire and Slayer for a moment, wondering if a former Watcher should feel such a strange sense of peace looking at them. He wondered what it was about them that could possibly make him feel so relaxed about the situation they were in. Then they moved, and he didn’t need to wonder anymore.

 

It wasn’t anything much. Buffy’s hand moved down Spike’s chest slightly and wrapped around his waist, pulling him into a closer embrace. When the vampire moved his arms unconsciously around her, holding her possessively against him, the Slayer sighed dreamily and returned her hand to the top of his chest near his shoulder. Spike nuzzled his face against her hair and started to purr, and Buffy’s face took on a look of pure bliss.

 

The young man smiled down at them, silently giving his blessing in the face of such obvious love and trust, and moved away from both sleeping couples to try and rest himself.

 

 

**Chapter 16**

“It involves a feather boa and the theme from A Summer Place.”

_Oz - 'Inca Mummy Girl'_

****

 

“Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair!” Ethan quoted as he entered the room to find Dawn once again staring out of the window. The sight gave him a brief moment of malicious pleasure, before he remembered that he hadn’t been too happy participating in this whole thing from the start and if Buffy or Rupert did manage to catch him this time, he probably wouldn’t have to worry about the two sinister vampiresses anymore.

 

Dawn didn’t even turn to look at him when he entered. She was becoming annoyed. She had searched every inch of the room and had found nothing that could possibly aid her escape. The teenager turned to him with a frown at his words however. “Let down your hair…” she murmured, her mind suddenly whirling as she searched for something that would help her.

 

“Yes, you know,” Ethan continued, not noticing that Dawn seemed to be suddenly preoccupied. “Rapunzel throwing her hair out of the window so that the prince could climb up and rescue her. I wouldn’t even bother thinking about it if I were you. Your hair isn’t that long.”

“So is everything here based on fairy tales?” Dawn asked conversationally, sitting down on the end of the bed.

 

“Almost everything yes,” Ethan volunteered, happy that someone was taking an interest in his work for once. “They may not be specific fairy tales. Demons are pretty much demons, there may be the odd dragon or damsel in distress that isn’t particularly attached to anything, but other than that…”

 

“What are they going to have to do?” Dawn asked momentarily forgetting the need for escaping the tower and finding her sister and her friends. She needed to know what Buffy and the others were facing.

“Well,” Ethan began, opening the door and holding it wide for her. “Why don’t I show you?”

 

****

 

Buffy blinked herself awake and found that she was oddly comfortable for someone who, it appeared, had spent the night asleep in a cave. Then she realised that she was lying half on top of a strong but soft male body and understood. Realising she had spent the night asleep on Spike the Slayer panicked. She quickly pushed herself away from the sleeping vampire, ignoring the sharp pang she felt at the loss of contact.

 

She looked around for the others and smiled a little when she saw Willow and Tara curled up against one another at the other side of the cave. Wesley was sleeping a little further off and Buffy decided not to disturb them. They’d most likely be keeping vampire hours from now on, so it would be better for them if they continued to rest.

 

The Slayer stood, careful not to disturb the sleeping vampire and made her way to the cave’s entrance. She yawned and stretched as she tilted her head up to the sun. Smiling she walked across to pool of water which beckoned her as it sparkled in the sunlight. As she dipped her hands into the cool water, she realised that they had no idea how long they were going to be here and there would probably be little opportunity to bathe or wash once they set out to find Dawn that evening. Glancing back towards the entrance to the cave Buffy determined to take advantage of the privacy for as long as she could. If Willow or Tara interrupted her it didn’t matter too much. They were her friends and she had no reason to be embarrassed. Wesley catching her would probably be a little more uncomfortable but she was certain she could deal. He’d probably be more embarrassed than her anyway. And Spike…

 

Buffy slipped out of her clothes, trying her best not to imagine the blonde vampire watching her as she slowly slid into the tranquil blue water. She swam the length of the pool a couple of times before diving down underneath the churning waterfall, reappearing in the space behind the pouring water and pushed herself awkwardly up onto the ledge in the hollowed out rock.

 

The reminder that this game had robbed her of her powers made her pout angrily, before she remembered that she had lost something far more important than strength and speed. She shook her head to remove the painful of Dawn. She knew that Spike was right about that at least. Darla and Dru wanted to cause Spike and Angel, and most probably herself as well, as much pain as possible. And to do that they would wait until their three targets were able to watch the proceedings before they hurt or killed Dawn.

 

She let the water cascade over her as she washed herself, her fingers gliding over her body as she let the pure spring water remove some of her stress along with any dirt. Dwelling on the subject was not going to change anything. The best thing she could do for Dawn was stay conscious and alert and get to her as quickly as possible. Unlike last time. Her last minute breakdown and coma hadn’t helped her sister in the slightest.

 

Once she felt more like herself she dived back underneath the waterfall, reappearing after a few seconds on the far side if the pool. She surfaced to find that she had indeed been spotted, but not by any of her friends.

 

For lined up at the side of the pool, staring at her with varying degrees of anger, worship, embarrassment, confusion and fear, were seven dwarves.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 17**

“This isn’t some fairy tale. When I kiss you, you don’t wake up from a deep sleep and live happily ever after.”

_Angel - 'Reptile Boy'_

****

 

Xander and Anya were searching for something. They had no idea what it was exactly, but Angel had told them to find some sort of landmark that they could work from in order to find Dawn. He couldn’t remember the map that Darla and Drusilla had shown him exactly. He hadn’t had long enough to memorise it. And of course, he hadn’t been expecting to be thrown into this ‘game’ in the first place.

 

He could however remember the tower, which was where he expected to find the Slayer’s sister, so it was up to the others to see if they could find it or any other distinguishing landmarks while Angel was stuck inside away from the sun.

 

Xander smirked as he recalled Angel telling them that the sun shouldn’t harm him here, just before he started to smoke and had to run quickly back inside. Xander hadn’t even tried to control his amusement, while Giles managed to hide his smile sufficiently so as not to further embarrass the vampire. Cordelia meanwhile had merely rolled her eyes at Anya and the two women had bonded over the knowledge that all men were fools.

 

The young man’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he ran straight into the back of his fiancée, who had stopped dead in her tracks.

“An? Are you ok?” Anya ignored him, turning her head slightly to the side as if listening for something. “Ok. Not liking the ignoring and the weird silent thing,” Xander said, trying to ease the suddenly tense atmosphere and mask his own nervousness.

 

Anya shushed him. “Do you hear that?”

Xander listened carefully but could hear nothing above the soft whisper of wind through the trees. “Hear what?”

The ex-demon frowned. “Nothing,” she said, shaking her head as if to clear it. “I must have imagined it.”

“O-k,” her fiancée drawled, looking around them once to be on the safe side, before leading Anya on their way again.

 

They had walked about ten steps when Anya stopped again. “Alright, I know I heard something that time,” she said determinedly, searching frantically around her.

“An, there’s nothing here,” Xander told her, more worried than he wanted to admit about what was happening to his future wife.

“No, I heard it Xander. There’s something here. I can feel it.”

“Feel it?” Xander asked sceptically.

Anya nodded. “You know… The way Buffy says she always knows when there’s some big bad thing arou…” She stopped and frowned. “I can see things better too. Like Buffy. My hearing… It’s like Buffy’s. My senses are all heightened…”

“Like Buffy’s,” Xander breathed, finally catching on.

“Xander,” Anya said wonderingly, “I’ve got Slayer senses.”

 

****

 

Cordelia’s eyes started to drift close as the constant motion of Angel’s pacing slowly sent her to sleep.

 

“Do you think they’re ok?” Angel asked abruptly, shocking Cordy back to full consciousness.

“What?”

“Do you think they’re ok?”

Cordelia grimaced in annoyance. “They’re fine. They’ll be back soon, stop worry…”

“No,” Angel interrupted shaking his head, “Not them. Buffy and Dawn and everyone.”

Cordy’s face softened when she heard the genuine concern in her friend’s voice. “I’m sure they’re ok too. I mean Buffy; well she’s Supergirl or Wonder Woman or something. And Spike’s strong and good in a fight, as we know from never being able to kill him. Are you sure he’s on our side now?”

 

Angel’s face twisted slightly, but he nodded in answer to her question. “Yes I’m sure. And if you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe the Host.”

Cordelia’s eyes widened in amazement. “Lorne says Spike’s good?”

“Yeah. They seemed real firm friends.”

Cordy shrugged and rested her head against her arms, which were folded on the table. “Then I guess it’s ok.”

 

“No! No it’s not ok. Spike’s working for the good guys. He’s an evil, soulless vampire, but he’s on our side now. I don’t…” He stopped and resumed pacing as Cordelia looked up at him with interest.

“This isn’t about Spike is it,” she announced intuitively. “This is about you and your evil twin.”

Angel sighed and sat down dejectedly next to his friend. “Angelus could never, would never do what Spike’s doing. Not even if he had one of those government chips inserted into his brain. And especially not for love.”

 

“Does it upset you more that you never could or that Spike so easily can?” Cordy asked shrewdly.

“Angelus Cor, not me.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “He’s in you. There’s no point in talking about him as if he’s a different person. He’s not. He’s you without a soul. And no I don’t believe he ever could do what Spike is. And for some reason, it’s not that strange that Spike has a good side. Your problem is that your Grandchilde doesn’t need a soul to let his good side out. And come to think of it, he never did.”

 

“What?”

“He helped Buffy save the world long before the government decided to turn him into a lab-rat for their scary conditioning experiments. And I have to say, I always admired the way he fought Buffy head on unlike…” She trailed off as Angel looked at her with a wounded statement, before deciding it was best to just get it all out in the open. “Unlike Angelus, who thought it was fun to terrorise her family and friends first. Spike never went in for that mess with the victims mind crap. He was direct. That’s good.”

 

“Cor,” Angel started nervously, not really wanting to ask the question he knew he had to. “Are you ever afraid of me? Of what I might do?”

Cordelia looked away, unable to answer with him staring at her. “I’m more afraid that one day you’ll do something and I’ll be forced to kill you,” she told him quietly.

“I don’t want to hurt you Cordy. Ever.” The words were spoken so fiercely that Cordelia jumped slightly in her seat as she turned her head to look at him.

“I know.”

 

****

 

“You see there are three levels to advance through,” Ethan told Dawn as he circled the table, which held a scaled down model of the ‘game board’. “The first level is relatively easy. That’s where Buffy and the rest of your comic hero friends are right now. The second level is that area surrounding the castle. It gets a bit trickier there. And the final level is the castle itself. And of course, it’s much harder to get through the final level.”

 

Dawn refused to show any fear in front of Ethan Rayne. Both Buffy and Spike would be disgusted if they thought that she had been intimidated by anyone as petty, arrogant and sick as him. Instead she stood her ground. “That’s twisted.”

“Yes, it is isn’t it?” Ethan replied with a cruel smile.

 

The teenager moved around the table, addressing her question to the man, but fixing her eyes on the model in front of her. “Who’s in each team?”

“Hmm,” Ethan mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Your sister is with your vampire friend Spike, the two witches and the Watcher that isn’t Giles. What’s his name?”

“Wesley.”

“Right. The other team consists of Angel, Cordelia, Xander, Anya and my old friend Ripper.”

“Isn’t that a little unfair?” Dawn asked, raising an eyebrow. “I mean one team has a vampire, a Slayer, two witches and a Watcher. The other team has a vampire, a Watcher and three people with no special skills. Unless of course Cordelia’s visions are going to be useful to them in some way.”

 

Ethan smiled again, feeling rather proud of himself and of what he had managed to accomplish. “Actually Dawnie that’s not strictly true.”

“What d’you mean?” Dawn asked, starting to feel even more uncomfortable and scared for her sister and her friends.

 

“Each team consists of a Knight, a Princess, a Sage, a Warrior and a Sensory. Any skills they have in reality will be stripped away and they will receive the skills of the character they are playing.”

“So Spike and Angel will be immune to sunlight and garlic… If they’re the Knights then…”

“No Dawn. Not even I can stop what is a physical fact. I can take away or give strength, or disable a skill for a period of time, but not even I can change the fact that vampires dust in sunlight. That is something they’ll just have to deal with.”

 

“So Spike and Angel are the Knights?” Ethan nodded in reply. “Wesley and Giles the Sages.” Again Ethan inclined his head. “And the Princesses? Let me guess. Buffy and Cordelia.”

“Very good Dawn,” Ethan affirmed patronisingly.

“And what special skills do the Princesses have?”

“Not a single one. Princesses as I’m sure you know, are there to be rescued.”

 

 

**Chapter 18**

“That’s nice Willow. And you went mental when?”

_Cordelia – ‘Halloween’_

****

 

Willow woke up slowly, letting her eyes stay shut as she gradually became aware of things around her. She remembered she was in a cave, trapped in some sort of game with Tara, Wesley, Buffy and Spike. She felt Tara next to her and pulled the blonde witch’s arm more firmly around her waist. She inhaled the scent of her girlfriend’s hair and smiled sleepily.

 

Wesley she knew was lying not far from them. The steady beat of his heart and rhythm of his breathing told her he was still asleep. That thought forced her eyes open in a second and she sat up quickly glancing once at Wesley before looking wildly around the cave.

 

Tara, dragged from sleep by the anxious movements of the confused redhead, sat up next to her girlfriend, rubbing her eyes. “Honey? What’s wrong?”

Willow’s eyes were focused on Spike who lay on his side on the opposite side of the cave. His face had taken on a joyful statement and the thought that he was dreaming of Buffy crossed the young witch’s mind for a moment. Then Willow remembered why she’d been staring.

 

“Where’s Buffy?”

 

****

 

Buffy closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, before opening them again. No. They were still there. Seven dwarves.

 

She smiled hesitantly at them, glancing at her clothes, which lay near her companions, and trying to judge the distance she would have to travel to reach them. As if sensing her discomfort six of the dwarves gallantly turned their backs to her while the seventh brought her clothes to the edge of the pool and then rejoined the others.

 

The Slayer quickly jumped from the water and pulled her clothes on, grimacing when she realised how wet and uncomfortable they’d be now. She squeezed the water from her hair, glad that the day was warm and the sun would dry her hair and clothes quickly.

 

“Um, hi,” Buffy greeted when she was more presentable, drawing the group’s attention back to her. “I’m Buffy.”

“We know Princess,” the dwarf who had fetched her clothes told her with a smile. “I’m Valdo.”

“Oh,” Buffy said with a surprised smile. She’d at least been expecting Happy or Doc. “Well it’s nice to meet you Valdo. But I’m not a Princess, I’m travelling with my friends. I’m trying to reach my sister.”

“The Princess Dawn, but of course milady.”

“You know about Dawn?”

 

“Everyone in the kingdom knows what has happened Princess. If there is any way in which we can help you need only ask.”

“Well,” Buffy told them, feeling happier with the knowledge that there were people here to help them, “If you can show us how to get to the place where Dawn is being kept, we’d all be very grateful.”

 

****

 

Tara ran to the entrance of the cave to check for Buffy while Willow moved to wake Spike. She hoped her friend was somewhere nearby, because she dreaded to think what Spike might do if Buffy was lost or injured. As it was, the prospect of waking him and informing him that Buffy was missing was daunting.

 

“Spike,” Willow called softly, shaking the vampire as best she could while she remained at arms length, “Spike wake up.”

The vampire’s eyes were open instantly. “What?”

“Buffy’s gone,” Willow told him and then winced at the statement that crossed his face. He looked as he had on numerous occasions when she had woken him from a nightmare in those long months following Buffy’s death. She’d had to break the news to him over and over as the dreams, just for a second, gave Spike hope that his Slayer had been saved. If there was one thing Willow hated, it was that look in the vampire’s eyes. They looked dead.

 

“I mean,” the redhead tried to explain, “she’s not here. In the cave.”

Spike shook himself free of the fear that had suddenly overcome him and sat up. “Is she outside?”

Willow shrugged. “I don’t know. Tara’s gone to check. I just thought you should know in case…”

“Yes?” Spike growled angrily, jumping up and starting to pace. “What use will I be if she is missing? It’s daylight in case you hadn’t noticed.” He continued in this vein for a while, cursing the fact that he was a vampire and therefore unable to help his love and her friends whenever he was needed.

 

His ranting woke Wesley who groggily stood and moved to join them. “What’s going on?”

Spike ignored him and walked as close to the mouth of the cave as he could, while Willow explained to Wesley what had happened.

 

****

 

Low voices drifting through the trees led Tara to Buffy. The blonde witch raised her eyebrows slightly at the sight of the Slayer sitting crossed legged in front of a semi-circle of seven dwarves. She wondered for a moment when it was that such things had stopped surprising and affecting her, before moving closer to the small group.

 

The dwarves immediately silenced and Buffy turned to face her friend with a smile. “Hey Tara. Guys this is Tara. Tara these are the seven dwarves.”

“Oh,” Tara said nodding her head as she sat down next to Buffy. “Snow White’s seven dwarves?”

Buffy nodded. “But not Disney’s. Obviously infringement of copyright is too hideous a crime even for two evil vampires like Darla and Drusilla.”

“Of course,” Tara agreed with a slight smirk.

 

Buffy turned back to address the dwarves. “Do you know who Tara is?”

“Why of course Princess,” Valdo answered Buffy’s question. “She is The White Warrior.”

“The White Warrior?” Tara asked, growing more and more curious by the second.

Valdo stood and made his way to the centre of the half circle, facing the two girls. “Two small groups battle in this land to save its inhabitants from evil.”

 

“Of course they do,” Buffy muttered under her breath, but smiled at Valdo as he continued.

“The White Knight, my Lord William leads, you Princess and you Lady Tara, alongside the White Sage, my Lord Wesley, and the White Sensory, the Lady Willow.”

Buffy and Tara stared open mouthed at the man before them. Before they had a chance to comment, he went on.

 

“The other group, at the far side of the Kingdom is led by the Red Knight, Lord Angel. The Princess Cordelia, the Red Warrior, my Lord Alexander, the Red Sage, my Lord Rupert and the Red Sensory, the Lady Anya join him. Both my Lord William and Lord Angel are trying to reach the Princess Dawn who is imprisoned at Tolemac.”

 

Buffy snapped fully back to reality at the mention of Dawn and grew deadly serious. “Where is Tolemac?”

 

****

 

Spike was still pacing frantically as Buffy and Tara flew back into the cave, followed by the dwarves. Willow and Wesley stopped talking as they entered and breathed a mutual sigh of relief.

 

Buffy didn’t give anyone time to speak before she began. “Will, Wes, these guys are going to help us find Dawn. This is Valdo their leader; he’ll explain everything you need to know. Tara go with them, help explain as much as you can.”

Tara led the dwarves to the back of the cave, gesturing to Willow and Wesley that they should join them.

 

The Slayer then turned to Spike. “We’re probably going to need some sort of plan of attack. Whatever’s guarding Dawn isn’t going to be friendl…”

She was cut off by Spike’s mouth, which came crashing down on her own, moving fiercely and possessively over her lips as he drew her body to his in one sharp movement, holding her in a tight embrace. When he pulled aware he glared down at her with a mixture of anger, fear and love burning in his eyes. Buffy merely stared back into the beautiful blue orbs, feeling weak from the devastating kiss.

 

“Never, ever do that again,” he growled before dipping his head and kissing her again.

It occurred to the Slayer that she should protest such behaviour, but any thought of putting an end to it fled as she became lost in the feeling of kissing the man who was supposed to be her mortal enemy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 19**

“Liar!”

**Buffy – ‘Lie To Me’**

****

 

“So you think that your senses have been enhanced since entering the game?” Giles asked Anya once she had finished relating her story. She and Xander had made their way back to the cottage, where Giles had been waiting with Angel and Cordelia, having had far more luck searching for the tower than the others.

 

Anya nodded and waited for the Watcher to tell her what had happened and how to fix it. Giles however merely shook his head and turned to the others. “Have any of you noticed any differences in yourselves since your arrival here?”

 

Angel and Cordelia both shook their heads, while Xander turned away. “Xander?” Giles prompted as the others stared at him.

The young man sighed. “Alright. When we were fighting that thing I felt a little different. Stronger; more able to handle the situation. Seemed easier to fight than usual.”

Anya continued to stare at her fiancée while the others turned back to Giles. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she hissed at him when the Watcher started to theorise with Angel and Cordy.

“I didn’t know if it was anything important or just a fluke. I didn’t want to worry you.”

 

The former demon stood and walked quickly outside. Xander didn’t spare a second before following. “An? What’s wrong?”

Anya spun to face him, her eyes blazing with hurt and anger. “We’re getting married Xander. You’re not supposed to hide things from me.”

“I didn’t want to worry yo…”

“Really? So every time something bad happens your going to hide it? Every time you think I’m better off not knowing you’re going to lie? Or just until the time Buffy comes to see me at three in the morning and tells me you’re hurt or dead or worse?”

 

“No that’s not what I…”

“Do you know how scared I am?” Anya asked quietly, the young woman turning into a scared little girl before his eyes. He didn’t think he was supposed to answer and so sensibly refrained from talking. “I keep wondering what’s it going to be like. Us. Being married. Most of the time I think it’s going to be great. We’re going to be happy, ‘cause I love you and you love me and that’s all that matters. But sometimes I get scared. What if you realise that you don’t want to be with me forever? What if something happens to you and I lose you?”

“That’s not going to happen,” Xander tried to reassure her, stepping closer.

“You don’t know that. But all I’m trying to say is that if you can’t even be honest with me, how is it ever going to be right and good?”

 

“Anya,” Xander started quietly running his hands up her arms to her shoulders. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the strength thing. I promise that I will never conceal the awful truth from you again, even if it makes you anxious and crazy.”

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she shook her head slightly at herself. “I’m sorry I’m already half crazy.”

Xander laughed. “Are you kidding?” He asked leading her back inside. “That’s why I love you.”

 

****

 

Tara glanced at Buffy and Spike, as Willow and Wesley started talking excitedly with the dwarves. She blinked in surprise when she saw them, still near the entrance to the cave, wrapped around each other, kissing each other as though their lives depended on it. A slow smile spread across her face and she turned away, letting them have their privacy.

 

“We can take you as far as Enoi-Mreh. You can see the castle from the hilltop. The road will lead you directly to the castle gates,” Tara heard Valdo inform the others.

“What’s Enoi-Mreh?” Willow asked, filled with curiosity at this strange world they been plunged into.

“It’s a ruin,” another of the dwarves piped up. “Legend has it that Enoi-Mreh is haunted by…”

Valdo silenced the dwarf with a sharp stare, while the others pulled him back down, whispering amongst themselves.

“Pay no attention My Lady,” Valdo addressed Willow. “Enoi-Mreh is as safe a place as you will find. Silly stories are passed around to attract attention. Nothing more.”

 

Willow wasn’t so sure. There was something in the way in the way they had been so quick to silence their friend that made her wonder if there wasn’t more to this than they were telling. She sat thinking for several minutes while Wesley tried to smooth things over by asking a few more questions about Tolemac. Something tugged at her senses and she was reminded of the feeling she had had when she had first woken up. She turned her head in time to see her best friend push Spike up against the wall of cave, never once breaking her lips from his.

 

****

 

Buffy was drowning. She had never felt anything like this before. The sweet pressure of his lips on hers. Searching, asking, taking. She gave as much in return, knowing he felt the same way.

 

His hands slid up her back into her hair and Buffy moaned as she pushed herself closer to him, needing to feel him surrounding her. He growled as she rubbed subtly against him and she smiled into his mouth, her eyes crinkling at the corners with pleasure at the sound.

 

She pushed him, her hands tightening on his shirt as they stumbled backwards towards the wall, without breaking apart. His hands moved back down around her waist to pull her even closer as her leg crept up the side of his.

 

Vaguely, Buffy became away of a noise in the distance, threatening to encroach on this perfect moment. She shook her head as Spike started to pull back and pouted when he finally broke the kiss. She opened her eyes to find him grinning down at her, as the noise finally registered as a cough in her intoxicated mind.

 

She turned her head to find Willow, Tara and Wesley staring at them. Tara was smirking, Wesley had raised one eyebrow in surprise, but a smile was tugging at the corners of his lips. Willow however looked to be in shock.

 

“Buffy…?” she croaked after a few drawn out moments. Tara couldn’t seem to help herself any longer and snorted with laughter, covering her mouth and trying to regain her composure when her girlfriend swung round to stare at her. The blonde witch couldn’t cover her giggling for long however, and this combined with the look that remained frozen on Willow’s face set Spike and Wesley laughing also.

 

Willow turned her attention back to her best friend who was still trying to think of the right words to explain what had happened. “Willow…” The redhead raised her eyebrows in question as everyone silenced, waiting to hear what Buffy had to say. “Can I talk to you outside?”

Willow shook her head. “No, I think you should say it here.”

 

Spike silently agreed. He hadn’t meant to kiss Buffy. He had simply let his worry and frustration get the better of him. He knew that she wanted it every bit as much as he did. She had told him – was it really only two days ago? – that she would give him a chance eventually. That she’d stop the games they always played and let herself love him. But was she there yet? Had he just ruined any progress he might have made by rushing things?

 

“I, I, I…” Buffy stuttered looking back and forth between her friends, trying to explain without hurting anyone. “I kissed Spike,” she finished lamely and Willow frowned at her in confusion.

“Yeah. We saw that. And?”

“And… I like kissing him,” Buffy shrugged, and with a smile to equal the Buffybot’s, she walked quickly past the others to discuss that night’s plans with the dwarves.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 20**

 

“I’m gonna kill you. Will that blow the whole Karma thing?”

_Buffy - 'The Dark Age'_

****

 

Angel reached the hilltop and sighed in relief when he saw the castle Giles had mentioned, in the distance. The highest tower dominating the fairy tale castle was a much larger version of the one Darla had shown him on the map. Dawn was bound to be there.

 

“Thank God,” Cordelia panted as she joined him. “I must be really out of shape.” Angel looked down at her concerned, but she waved away his concern and smiled. “Is that it?”

Angel looked back towards the castle and nodded. “Yeah.” After a moment, he turned to face her again. “It’s going to take a while to get there. Are you going to be ok?”

Cordelia sent him a withering look. “I’ll be fine. You’d just better hope there’s some shelter, or I’ll be carrying you back to L.A. in my coat pocket.”

 

“And how many of us would pay to see that?” Xander asked as he and Anya arrived next to them, Giles appearing a few seconds later.

 

Fearing that they’d never manage to get to Dawn or Buffy if Xander and Angel kept bickering, Giles quickly interrupted. “Well the forest seems to be quite dense enough to provide some shelter. We’ll be able to cover you at any rate.” Xander snorted and turned away to cover his laughter as best he could. Giles ignored him. “I think it’s best we start. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we…”

 

“Um, guys,” Xander exclaimed suddenly. “I think you might want to see this.”

The others turned to see what Xander was looking at and gaped as the landscape before them changed. The forest rearranged itself into an intricate maze, which led right up to the castle walls.

“Now what do we do?” Cordy asked, her eyes remaining fixed on the trees as though trying to memorize their layout.

“It’ll take us forever to get through that,” Anya added as Angel and Giles shook their heads in answer to Cordelia’s question. “We might never get out.”

 

“But that’s the only way,” Xander pointed out, becoming a little more panicked. “We can’t get to Dawn and the others if we don’t go.”

“We are going,” Angel told them determinedly and set off towards the beginning of the maze, which had opened up for them at the bottom of the hill.

“Angel are you crazy?” Cordelia shouted, running after him. There is no shelter in there now. And there’s no way we’re going to reach the other end before daybreak.”

The vampire spun to face her, anger mixing with sorrow in his face. “What else can we do Cor? Like Xander said, there’s no other way.”

 

“So Xander’s right? For the first time ever. Have you thought about walking around the outside?”

“That’ll take even longer. Look, I’m sorry, but I have to do this. We have to do this. So we can take our chances and go this way or we can go back to the cottage and die. Which is to be?” The last statement was addressed to the whole group who had, by this time, joined them.

 

Cordelia lowered her head, knowing that Angel was right and hating that they were probably going to be stuck in the game forever. Xander, Anya and Giles all voted for the maze, and Angel nodded. “Giles, keep your left hand against the trees at all times and we’ll get out eventually.”

 

With that the small group made their way through the entrance, towards the castle.

 

****

 

The dwarves marched in formation through the wood; Buffy and Wesley followed close behind with Willow and Tara behind them and Spike bringing up the rear.

 

After they’d been walking for about an hour Wesley tugged discreetly on Buffy’s shirt and they slowed allowing the dwarves to move ahead out of earshot. Buffy looked up and Wesley in question.

“I have a bad feeling about this Buffy,” he told her quietly. “There’s something not right about this place they’re taking us to. I think, and Willow agrees with me, that this is some sort of trap.”

“I’m not stupid Wesley,” Buffy hissed back, not unkindly, “but we haven’t got any other leads and we could wander around the forest forever without some form of help. Frankly I’d rather take my chances with the little guys, than do nothing.”

 

Wesley nodded, his apprehension dissipating a little once he knew that Buffy was on her guard. They quickened their pace again and the space between them and the dwarves was quickly closed.

“Uh,” Wesley began nervously a few moments later.

“Spit it out Wes,” Buffy told him after about a minute’s hesitation.

“Well… you and Spike…?”

“None of your business,” Buffy interrupted firmly and Wesley sensibly remained silent.

 

It wasn’t just that Buffy didn’t want to talk about it. It really wasn’t any of Wesley’s business, but more importantly Buffy didn’t know where to begin answering such a question. She didn’t know what was going on between her and Spike.

 

He had kissed her.

 

He hadn’t planned to she was sure. He was just so angry and scared; he had let his emotions get the better of him. And he had been afraid for a moment when it had ended. Afraid that she was going to deny that she had felt anything; that she was going to blame him or punish him for moving too quickly.

 

She had kissed him back.

 

And she hadn’t been lying to Willow. She did like kissing him. He was very good at the kissing thing. Very, very, very good. And it didn’t feel as though they were moving too fast when he was holding her. It felt as though they were moving at exactly the right speed.

 

But that was what was causing her the most confusion. All those barriers and problems and fears came rushing back ten times stronger the minute he let go. She had said ‘eventually’ because she knew with the right amount of time, she’d be able to get rid of every doubt and fear, but right now Buffy had no time to work through those problems. All she had time to worry about was Dawn.

 

****

 

“What’s wrong sweetie?” Tara asked her girlfriend as she watched Willow watch Buffy.

The redhead started and turned to face her lover. “Oh. Nothing. I’m just thinking about this place we’re going and what beasties could be there waiting for us.

Tara gave Willow a knowing look. “You don’t you don’t have to cover with me. If something’s bothering you, you can tell me.”

 

Willow hesitated a moment before answering. “Buffy and Spike…”

“Ah,” Tara replied as Willow paused, but said nothing more as she waited to hear what Willow thought.

“Spike and Buffy.” Willow stopped again and Tara gave her an encouraging smile. “Am I crazy to think that that might be a good thing.”

Tara sighed with relief. “No. No you’re not crazy. I think so too. Good thing.”

 

Willow frowned. “But, vampire.”

“He loves her.”

“I know that. But I’m the best friend. It’s my job to be worried.”

Tara smiled. “Well I’ve made it my job, as best-friend’s girlfriend to be their official matchmaker.”

“You’ve just been their unofficial one up ‘til now?” Willow joked with a smile.

“Yes but now I have best-friend’s approval. Don’t I?”

 

Willow glanced behind her at Spike and then back at Buffy. “Yeah. You do.”

 

****

 

Another half an hour brought them within sight of Enoi-Mreh and the dwarves halted and turned to Buffy. “This is as far as we can take you Princess. From the top of the hill you should be able to see the castle where Princess Dawn is being held.”

 

“Thank you Valdo,” Buffy said appreciatively with a smile. She glanced around at the others. Wesley was looking up at the ruin apprehensively; Willow was wearing her best resolve face while Tara stood calmly next to her. Spike looked bored.

 

She turned back to address the dwarves and found that they had disappeared. “Where’d they go?”

Willow looked around in confusion. “I don’t know. They were right there.”

Buffy sighed. “Well I guess this is where we find out if they were on our side.” She looked up towards the ruin and turned to Willow. “Getting any weird vibes? I mean, is there anything up there?”

 

“Nothing that I can tell. Of course if this place is really haunted there wouldn’t be any heartbeat to focus on.” Tara squeezed her hand and the redhead smiled tightly. Even though she had heightened senses, her lack of magic was making her feel weak and ineffective. The fact that she hadn’t realised how much she had been depending on her magic scared her more than the loss of it. Willow had always felt she was in control. Now she was afraid that that wasn’t true at all.

 

“Well we’re not going to get the Little Bit back standing around here all day,” Spike drawled with a roll of his eyes. “Let’s get on with it.” He started up the hill and Buffy ran to catch up with him.

“Um, are you ok?”

He looked down at her and then back up towards their destination. “Fine. You?”

“Fine.”

“Buffy…”

“Spike…” They both started talking at the same moment and laughed slightly as the tension was broken. “Please,” Spike continued, “You go first.”

 

Buffy took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on the edge of Spike’s shoulder. “I just wanted to say that I understand about that thing… before. I know you were upset and I’m not getting all weirded out about it.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Um, Buffy?” Wesley’s voiced interrupted the Slayer and vampire, but they weren’t paying attention.

“Not now Wes. Oh. What does ‘oh’ mean?”

“Buffy I really think you should look,” Willow called out urgently and the Slayer turned, irritated, to where her friends were staring.

 

“Oh my God,” she breathed as she saw the huge emerald green dragon swoop down through the air towards the ruins at Enoi-Mreh.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 21**

“Don’t warn the tadpoles!”

_Willow – ‘What’s My Line Part 1’_

****

 

Giles abandoned the ‘left hand to the wall’ plan as soon as Anya told them she could hear Polnar demons along that route. Angel confirmed that there were about five of the demons lying in wait and opted for a different path. Now he and Anya were leading the way through the maze, trying as best as they could to avoid any dangers along the way.

 

“We are never getting out of here!” Xander told them, panicked after an hour and a half.

“Calm down sweetie,” Anya threw over her shoulder as she tried to judge which way to turn. Like Angel, she was trying as hard as she could to keep track of the direction in which they were headed. But mazes were meant to be confusing and she had to concentrate as much as possible.

“But we’re lost,” Xander cried, looking around him as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction.

 

Cordelia pulled Xander away from the others as they tried to focus their attention ahead. “Will you calm down? Panicking isn’t going to help anyone,” she hissed.

“Oh, I know you have absolute faith in Deadboy,” Xander replied sarcastically, “but you might remember that I have no such belief in his ability to get us all out of here safe and sound. And before you say it, Anya’s had these ‘special powers’ for less than a day. I am nowhere near confident that they can do this. I’m not even confident I can do this.”

 

“Alright,” Cordelia said, rolling her eyes as Xander finished his tirade, “maybe you have no faith that we’ll get out of here, and believe me, I’m worried about the exact same thing but, I do know that Angel is going to try his best to save us. And Dawn. And you know Anya is too.”

 

The young man sighed. Looking across towards his fiancée he saw the determined, yet slightly fearful look on her face. He nodded quickly at Cordelia and then walked back to the others, resting his hands supportively on Anya’s shoulders.

 

“Left?” the former demon asked Angel, smiling up at Xander in thanks.

“Left,” Angel agreed and the small group headed along the left path, praying that they wouldn’t encounter any demons along the way.

 

****

 

“It’s a dragon,” Wesley whispered, rather pointlessly as the group stared up in awe at the creature.

“What are we going to do?” Tara asked looking back and forth between her girlfriend and the Slayer.

Willow gave a small shrug and glanced at Buffy quickly before returning her gaze to the dragon. Buffy couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. Her mouth hung open slightly and her mind went completely blank.

 

Spike looked down at the young woman standing in shock beside him and took in the look of horror on her face. He reached slowly towards her and took her small hand in his, squeezing it slightly so that she knew he was there for her. At that small gesture Buffy turned her fear filled eyes up at him, silently begging him to take charge and get them through this.

 

One part of the vampire’s mind found it funny that someone who had faced a hell-god could hesitate at taking on one dragon, but as he himself had no idea of how to get past it, he stopped himself from commenting. “Wesley?” he asked instead. “Any ideas about dragons and how to get past them in one piece?”

 

“Uh, Umm,” Wesley stuttered as he struggled to switch his brain back into working mode. “Uh, yes I think so. About dragons anyway, but as to how to get past one…”

“Can’t we just go around another way?” Willow squeaked.

“It’ll take too long,” Spike said determinedly. “There has to be a way to get past it.”

 

****

 

“A Minotaur?” Anya hissed at Giles as they stood staring at the beast at the end of the path.

“Well the Minotaur was trapped inside the Labyrinth in Greece,” Giles told them. “So obviously we’re faced with the same challenge. To, uh…”

“Kill the Minotaur,” Angel finished for him, looking back along the path to see if there was another way to go. “Ok, Giles you take the girls the other way. Keep going. Xander and I’ll catch up when we’ve…”

 

“When we’ve what?”

“Angel you can’t do this alone!”

“I’m not going anywhere without Xander!”

 

“Cordy, Anya, please. You have to get to Dawn,” Angel reasoned, moving so that he and Xander were standing a little behind the others. “Xander’s the only one besides me with the strength to fight this thing. We’ll be ok.” He stared Cordy straight in the eyes as he finished and she nodded, gently leading Anya in the opposite direction.

“I love you,” Anya called back to Xander.

He smiled bravely back at her. “I love you too.”

 

The two males watched as their friends disappeared from sight and then turned around, walking slowly towards the Minotaur. “So, uh, how do we kill this thing? What’re its weak spots?”

“I don’t know,” Angel answered. “No one ever found out.”

“What?”

“Well in Greek legend, Theseus killed the Minotaur. But no one knows quite how he did it. Some say he used a sword. Others say he used his bare hands. So let’s hope it was the latter and that together, you and I are as good as he was.”

 

“So you’re saying that in all probability we’re going to die?”

“Most likely.”

Xander nodded and straightened his shoulders. “Just so long as I know.”

 

****

 

“This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind,” Spike told Wesley as the group cautiously approached the ruins.

“Well there isn’t anything else we can do. It’s either try and find a past it or go around. And as you said, we don’t have time to find another way. We’ll just have to take our chances and do the best we can. We do still have you and Tara.”

Tara looked round at Wesley in shock at his statement. “Me?”

“Now that Buffy’s lost her powers, you’re the strongest person here, along with Spike,” Wesley reminded her, looking apologetic but sounding fiercely determined at the same time.

 

“Ok,” Spike interrupted as he took in the looks of horror on the girls’ faces. “I’ll go up first, you lot stay here until I come and get you. If I’m not back within the hour, start walking that way,” he told them, gesturing that they should try and go around. Wesley looked as though he was going to argue, but Spike’s statement was almost identical to the one Angel wore when he had made up his mind about something. He knew there was no way of stopping him.

 

Tara swallowed nervously but then raised her chin, staring the vampire straight in the eye. “Let me come with you. I want to help. This is what I’m supposed to do. I wouldn’t have this strength otherwise.”

Willow squeaked in fear and gripped her girlfriend’s hand a little tighter but she didn’t try and stop her. She knew how brave Tara could be and how willing she was to sacrifice herself for those she loved. Just like Spike.

 

Buffy however was not going to let him go without an argument. “Are you crazy? You’ll get yourself killed!” she shouted, pulling him round to face her.

“Better me than all of us,” he told her through gritted teeth. “You still have to get to Dawn.”

The Slayer’s face crumpled. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Spike cursed and drew her to him quickly, crashing his lips down on hers once again. Before she had time to respond the way she wanted to he pulled back. “It’s only a dragon,” he told her with a cocky grin as he moved her firmly, yet gently away. “One measly dragon against the Big Bad and Goldilocks here.” Willow and Buffy both smiled a little as they held onto each other, watching the young witch and the vampire continue up the hill.

 

“If anything happens to me, you get the hell out and catch up with the others,” Spike told Tara quietly as they walked away, their eyes on the ruin and not on each other.

“And if anything happens to me you do the same,” Tara agreed bravely.

Spike looked across at her and couldn’t help but be awed once again by the strength of her courage. “Damn Scoobies,” he muttered, silently agreeing to Tara’s request.

 

****

 

Rounding another corner, Anya and Cordelia came to an abrupt halt, causing Giles to quicken his pace to catch up with them. “Anya! Cordelia! What is it?”

“Is this the centre?” Cordelia asked as Giles stopped next to them. “Did we make it all the way through the centre?”

“It certainly looks like it,” Giles answered, following the brunette into the large square lined with tall hedges. There was a sundial in the centre and a small bench, which Anya gratefully collapsed upon to rest.

 

“Should we wait here?” she asked lying back and closing her eyes. “We should wait here right? For Xander?”

“And Angel,” Cordelia added, looking towards Giles. The older man smiled back at her supportively.

“Of course we will. For as long as we can anyway. If they aren’t here by daybreak, I think we should continue to the castle. God only knows what’s happening to Buffy and the others. We really do need to find Dawn as quickly as possible.”

 

“Poor Dawnie,” Anya said, sitting up so that Cordelia could sit next to her. “She must be so scared.”

“She’s been in bad situations before Anya. She’s a very brave girl, I’m sure she’s fine.”

The former demon, seeing through Giles optimistic words, was about to comment when Cordy decided to intervene. “What kind of bad situations has Dawn been in? She was too young to patrol or help out when I was still in Sunnydale. I guess she’s grown up a lot these past couple of years huh? Has she been getting into trouble? Trying to take on the bad guys herself?” She looked back and forth between Giles and Anya who wore matching expressions of surprise. “What?”

 

****

 

“Who approaches?”

 

The voice startled Spike and Tara who had very cautiously entered the ruins, watching their surroundings closely. Turning to their left they saw an eye blink through one of the stone arches and then gasped as the dragon raised its head, staring down at them over the crumbling walls.

“Spike!” the vampire shouted up to the dragon, stepping in front of Tara to try and shield her somewhat from their adversary.

 

“Ah yes. Lord William. The Brave White Knight.” Spike growled softly at the description and Tara giggled nervously. “And Lady Tara. The Warrior.” Tara immediately stopped laughing and gazed up at the dragon fearfully. “Have you come to vanquish me then?” The dragon began to laugh himself and Spike and Tara exchanged a confused look.

 

“You do not have to fight me,” the dragon told them lowering its head so that it could converse more easily, and even Spike couldn’t prevent a sigh of relief at the words. “I will take you and your friends to the castle at Tolemac.”

“Thank you,” Tara answered with a bright smile. “We’d appreciate…”

“I will take you,” the dragon interrupted, “if you can answer a question.”

“A question?”

“Yes William a question. You can’t get something for nothing. Especially here. So answer this question and I will help you. If you get the answer wrong you and your friends will remain here and I shall ask another question tomorrow. And the day after, and the day after. Do you understand?”

 

Both Tara and Spike nodded, though neither looked happy at the prospect of being stranded there indefinitely. The dragon cleared its throat and began.

“What was born the same time as the world, is destined to live as long as the world, but is never five weeks old?”

 

*****

 

“Wow,” Cordelia breathed, a moment after Giles and Anya had finished their story. “You mean Dawnie… Wow.”

“You get used to it,” Anya told her nonchalantly and then stood and started to pace.

“Well you were right Giles,” Cordelia continued talking with the Watcher. “She’s very brave. I’m sure she’ll be giving her captors a run for their money. But you know Darla and Drusilla are pretty scary. Even for someone who’s faced a hell-god. I mean, I’ve seen some pretty bad things in my line of work. I’ve been impregnated with demon spawn, had to suffer horrendous visions from the Powers, was almost killed by these priest guys in an alternate dimension, not to mention the hundreds of demons I’ve had to face and the number of times I’ve had to sit through Angel singing at Caritas… But still Darla and Dru remain at the top of my all time fear list. Along with Angelus and Sp…”

 

“Spike?”

“I guess I shouldn’t say that huh? Since he’s working for the good guys now.”

“Cordelia, I understand your… mistrust of Spike and occasionally I continue to share it but, no matter what has happened in the past, I know that Spike has done things, good things, that I would be doubtful to expect from even the best among us.”

 

Cordelia looked as though she had more to say but Anya’s excited cry stopped her, and she and Giles made their way quickly to where the former vengeance demon stood. She was pointing eagerly at the sundial. “This writing here. I recognise it. The sundial can take us to the castle. We just have to touch it, repeat the phrase and we’ll be transported to the end of the maze. The castle.”

Giles bent down to inspect the text and Anya beamed brightly at Cordelia. “It certainly looks like…”

The Watcher got no further as Angel and Xander came hurtling into the centre from the right. They were both breathing heavily and laughing. Anya and Cordelia immediately ran across to them; Anya lovingly stroking her fiancée’s face before pulling him into a fierce hug, while Cordelia tenderly inspected the cuts on Angel’s face.

 

“Are you ok?” Anya asked, refusing to let go of her lover.

“I’m fine An. Tired, but fine.”

“Yeah,” Angel agreed, taking Cordy’s hand away from his face and holding it tightly between both of his. “Have you figured out which way to go? We really need to keep moving.”

“The sundial,” Anya told them, turning her head but leaving her body wrapped around Xander who laughed slightly and held her firmly against him.

 

“Yes,” Giles explained further, “the sundial should take us to the end of the maze. We just have to touch it and… and say the words apparently.”

“Thank God,” Xander said as the small group stepped forward. “I thought we were never going to get out of here.”

 

****

 

Spike turned to Tara, who frowned for a minute and then grinned happily. The vampire raised his eyebrows as her face lit up with pleasure. “It’s easy,” she told him and he rolled his eyes, waiting as patiently as he could for her to answer the dragon’s question. “Oh,” she said after staring at him for a moment. “The answer is the moon.”

 

“Correct,” the dragon shouted delightedly, jerking his head back away from them as sparks of fire began to fly from its mouth in its excitement.

“Hey!” Spike shouted, jumping quickly out of the way. “We answered the damn question. There’s no need to go killing us now.”

The dragon’s mouth turned up in what Spike thought was a smile as it spoke again. “Go and fetch your friends. When you return I shall take you to the castle as I promised.”

 

Tara practically skipped down the hill to Willow, who shrieked at the sight of her girlfriend and ran half way to meet her. Spike himself was hard pressed not to start skipping when he saw the look of happiness and relief on Buffy’s face, right before she threw herself into his arms.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 22**

“Two Slayers.”

 

“No waiting.”

_Kendra and Buffy – ‘What’s My Line Part 2’_

****

 

Dawn stared out of the window, puzzled at the sight below her within the walls of the castle. What looked like an arena had been set up, and the stands were beginning to fill with people. There was a sharp knock at the door and the young girl turned as Ethan entered the room.

 

“What’s going on down there?” she asked bluntly, her attention returning to the crowd outside.

“The arena has been set up for your friends’ second task,” Ethan answered, moving to stand behind her.

“Which is?”

“A joust,” he told her with a smirk, peering over her shoulder at the scene below.

 

Dawn turned around sharply to face him. “A joust? Like with horses and lances?”

“Very good Dawn,” Ethan mocked her with a cruel smile. “Do you like it?”

“Who will they be jousting against?”

“Each other,” he told her casually, but the look on her face forced him to elaborate. “Each team will choose one member. They will compete against one another. The winner claims the prize.”

Dawn felt ill, but refused to be cowed. “What’s the prize?”

“You can come and see for yourself if you want?” he offered and the teenager nodded, following him out of the room and down the spiral staircase of the tower.

 

“They won’t die will they?” she asked, fearing for the lives of her sister and friends. “I mean, they’ll have all that armour and…”

“No armour Dawn,” Ethan corrected, leading the way along a gloomy corridor and down another flight of stairs. It was getting colder, but Dawn didn’t know whether she was shivering because of the castle or Ethan’s words. “And of course it will be a fight to the death. Did you expect anything else?”

“I expected that you’d have more sense than to try and kill Buffy or anyone she cares about,” Dawn shouted angrily. “You know you’re never getting out of this alive don’t you? Darla and Drusilla will kill you as soon as this sick little game of theirs is over and if they don’t Buffy, Spike or Giles will. You’re such an idiot.”

 

With an angry glare Ethan rounded on Dawn, stopping in front of a door at the far end of a long passageway. “Listen to me girl,” he ground out threateningly, scaring Dawn for the first time. “I’ve kept you and your friends out of as much danger as possible this far. But as you said, Darla and Drusilla have a death sentence hanging over my head. They aren’t going to be happy if everyone comes through this without a scrape. Now it can be one of your friends or it can be you. And before you offer to sacrifice yourself, let me just remind you what it will do to your sister if she gets here and discovers you dead. So just be brave a little longer and all of this will be over with.”

 

As he finished he unlocked the door, swinging it wide and gesturing that Dawn should enter. The room was dark, and Dawn stepped nervously through, blinking as her eyes tried to adjust. “I’ll leave you two alone,” she heard Ethan call out as he pushed her fully into the room and slammed the door closed behind her. She heard the key turn in the lock and shrank back slightly, looking wildly around the room for whatever beast was lurking in the darkness.

 

She heard a chain rattle and turned her head sharply in that direction. “Hello? Who’s there? I, I’m not afraid of you.”

As her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, she saw the outline of a figure huddled in a corner. Cautiously she approached the figure, hoping that the chains held whatever it was out of reach. She knelt down next to the human shaped body and peered closely at it. It seemed familiar to her. “Um, do I know you? I’m Dawn. Do you know me? Dawn Summers?”

 

The figure turned its face towards Dawn and carefully pushed back the long dark hair that obscured its face. Dawn sucked in a sharp breath and the girl sitting opposite her chuckled. “How you doin’ shortstuff?”

 

****

 

Wesley felt sick. He held tightly to the dragon’s back as its soared across the sky, fervently ignoring Willow and Tara’s ‘ooo’s’ and ‘ahh’s’ as they watched the scenery fly by.

“Are you ok?” he heard Buffy ask from her seat beside him and opened one eye to peer at her.

“I’m flying on a dragon’s back in the middle of the night, to God knows where, with a Vampire Slayer, a Vampire Master and two witches, while trapped in a game set up by two evil and insane vampires with the hope of killing us all. Yes Buffy I’m fine.”

 

Buffy grinned and nodded. “That’s alright then.” She saw the castle drawing ever closer and thanked the higher powers that were heading towards Dawn and the hopefully the end of this game. She glanced across at Spike, who caught her gaze and sent her cheerful smile. The Slayer chuckled. He was obviously enjoying himself. And she could easily admit that flying on a dragon’s back was particularly thrilling for her too.

 

“How much longer do you think it’s going to take?” she shouted up to the dragon, seeing that Wesley had gone decidedly green and taking pity on him.

“We’re almost there Princess,” the dragon replied, swooping low along the ground. “Five minutes and you shall be inside the castle grounds.”

“Why can’t we just fly up to the tower and Dawn can hop out to us and we’re done?” Spike asked, and Buffy and the dragon both answered simultaneously.

“There are magicks in place around the castle, protecting it.”

“We need to get the others. We can’t go without everyone.”

 

As promised, five minutes later the dragon landed perfectly within the castle walls and waited patiently as Willow and Tara slid from its back and Spike grasped Buffy firmly by the waist to lift her down. “Thanks,” she murmured with a shy smile, before Wesley, clambering hurriedly from the dragon’s back, muttering something about parents and becoming a librarian, interrupted them.

 

“Lord William?” a voice behind them asked, causing everyone to turn. They came face to face with a small group of soldiers who bowed politely as their captain stepped forward. “My Lord, his highness wishes you to accompany us to your quarters. A representative will meet you there once you are refreshed to explain what is to come.”

 

Spike glanced at Buffy and then gestured that the guard should lead the way.

 

****

 

“Faith?” Dawn squeaked in surprise and the brunette Slayer smiled again at the youngest Summers.

“Glad you remember me Dawn.”

“How could I not?” Dawn asked with a roll of the eyes. “I’m even more glad that you remember me.”

“How could I not?” Faith repeated and then raised her eyebrows as Dawn snorted derisively.

“It’s a long story. What are you doing here?” Faith shrugged. “Well, how did you get here?” Again the Slayer shrugged and shook her head.

“I have no idea. One minute I was in my cell. The next this one. So which demon did this and how long do you think it’ll be before big sis busts us outta here?”

 

“Oh, I think you’ll be seeing Buffy soon enough. According to Ethan you’re the star prize that Buffy and the gang are competing for in some big joust he’s got planned. I guess you’ll be taking the place of whoever…” She shuddered at the thought of her sister or her friends dying and Faith looked away uncomfortably. She really didn’t know how to act around Dawn, having threatened her and her mother with a knife the last time she saw them.

 

“Hey, look Dawn. Don’t get upset ok. Buffy and her super-friends have been in way worse situations than this. Everyone will be fine,” she paused as she considered what to say next. “Look I haven’t seen you in so long. Why don’t you tell me everything that’s happened this past year? How’s you mom?”

Dawn looked sharply at Faith, wondering at her cruelty before she realised that the Slayer had been serious. “Oh my God. You don’t know.”

“Know what?” Faith asked, perplexed and worried by the pained look that had crossed Dawn’s face at the mention of Joyce.

“Mom died. Earlier this year. She had a brain tumour and…”

Faith stared at Dawn in horror and then closed her eyes against the sick feeling forming in her stomach. “I’m sorry Dawn.”

 

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“She was a wonderful person. I can’t… the things I did. The way I treated her that last time, I… I’m so, so sorry.”

Dawn laid her hand gently on Faith’s arm and sat more comfortably next to her. “I know.”

 

****

 

Angel, Cordelia, Xander, Anya and Giles found themselves standing just within the castle walls seconds after touching the sundial.

 

“Hey that was neat,” Xander said, looking around at Anya and Giles. “Do you think we could get one those at home? ‘Cause it would be so much more useful for getting to work in the mornings.” Everyone ignored him as they looked around the grounds.

“Up there,” Angel said, pointing towards the tallest tower. “That’s where Dawn’ll be. We have to find a way up there.”

“Um,” Anya interrupted pointing over the vampire’s shoulder. “I think we might have to deal with those guys first.” The small group looked in the direction the former demon was indicating and saw a group of soldiers, in traditional armour marching towards them. Xander and Giles stepped up next to Angel in front of Anya and Cordelia who, with a simultaneous shake of the head, moved next to the men.

 

“My Lord Angel,” the captain of the guards acknowledged as the soldiers stopped. “We welcome you to Tolemac.” The captain bowed. “His highness wishes us to escort you to your place of rest.”

Angel looked round at the others and Giles nodded reluctantly, indicating that they would follow. The small group set off, surrounded by the soldiers, following the captain the short distance to the large red tent, which had been set up just outside the arena.

 

Inside, the tent seemed as large as Xander and Anya’s apartment, and was furnished with two large beds, a chaise-lounge and piles of cushions and pillows, which were all varying shades of red, pink and purple. Along one side of the room were two long tables, piled high with food and drinks. Xander, Anya and Cordelia gazed appreciatively round and then raced for the food.

“Hey Angel, there’s stuff here for you too,” Cordelia called around a mouthful of bread, pointing at the large jug of blood sitting at one end of the table.

 

The vampire smiled across at his friend before turning back to the guard. “What are we doing here?”

“I am told someone will come to explain everything to you shortly. Until then I suggest that you make yourselves comfortable and take advantage of this opportunity to rest.” With that the guard bowed deeply once again then quickly exited the tent.

 

“Ok. This is weird,” Angel said, turning back to Giles. “They were expecting us.”

“Maybe we have to complete another task,” Giles theorised, removing his glasses as he made his way over to the food, and poured himself a glass of water. “The maze got us here. The next task may get us into the castle.”

“Alright,” Angel agreed, trying to relax as he too moved towards his own liquid refreshment. “But everybody stay alert. We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 23**

 

“I believe the subtext here is rapidly becoming text.”

_Giles – ‘Ted’_

****

 

As the guards explained to Buffy and Spike that someone would soon be there to instruct them, Willow and Tara pulled Wesley to one side of the cream and white furnished tent. “It looks like we’re going to be here a while,” Willow began casually, shooting a glance back over her shoulder to make sure the Slayer and vampire were occupied. “I mean, what with the beds and all the food.”

 

“Yeah,” Tara agreed, picking up from where her girlfriend had left off. “So you should sleep on the chaise. Or else, you’ll have to sleep with Spike.”

Wesley was by no means a stupid man. The look he gave the girls left them in no doubt that he knew exactly what they were up to. The two young witches blushed. Wesley’s lips twitched. “You could have asked me you know. Although I hope we’re not doing anything we’ll regret later.”

The ‘we’ set Willow and Tara smiling again and the together the three of them went to grab some food from the table.

 

When the guard finally left, Buffy and Spike turned to find that the girls had commandeered the bed along the right hand wall of the apartment size tent, and Wesley relaxing on the nearby chaise-lounge. They simultaneously looked at the other bed on their left, as far as it could possibly be from Willow, Tara and Wesley.

 

“Um,” Buffy said hesitantly, her eyes remaining fixed on the bed as she addressed the others. “The guard said someone should come by soon with more info. ‘Til then we should relax.”

“Great,” Willow smiled at her friend threw an extra blanket from the bottom of the bed to Wesley. “We should all try and get some sleep. The two witches and former Watcher finished their food quickly and settled in for some rest. Although they had intended it merely to give Buffy and Spike a little privacy, they were all asleep instantly, exhaustion finally overcoming them.

 

The Slayer and vampire watched as their friends fell asleep immediately and shared a look across the table where they were gathering food and drink.

“Not very subtle are they, your friends?” Spike asked after hastily drinking a mug full of blood.

“No,” Buffy agreed. “They must have been taking lessons from you.”

“Hey, I can be subtle,” the vampire protested as he followed Buffy to the King size four-poster bed.

“Name one time,” the Slayer answered without turning round. Spike didn’t answer. “Well?”

“I’m thinking.”

 

****

 

“Are you ok?” Cordelia asked as Angel paced by the side of the bed. The others had all gone to bed after they had eaten and Cordelia was waiting for Angel tell her what was wrong. “I know you’re worried Angel. You can tell me you know. We’ve been through too much for you to try and hide things from me.”

 

Angel looked over at Cordy who was half lying, half sitting on the bed in front of him and drew a sharp breath. She was right. He was hiding things from her. But then he was always hiding things from her these days. He seemed to have lost all ability to act naturally around her. But he knew there was no way he could tell her the truth. So he settled for worry about Dawn, in the hope that she would believe that was the sum of his worries.

 

“I just don’t like this. Waiting around isn’t really my style. We should be out there doing something.”

Cordelia sighed. “I know. Dawn’s in trouble. But I doubt very much that we’re going to get to her if we don’t play along with these little games. I mean we are talking about Darla and Drusilla. Walking advertisements for the sadistic.”

The vampire joined Cordelia on the bed. “We have to find the others before we get to Dawn,” he told her, staring up at the roof of the tent. She turned her head to look at him and if he’d been looking back, he would have seen a little hurt flicker briefly in her eyes.

“We’ll find her.”

 

“I know. But we have to find the others fir…”

“No, I mean. We’ll find Buffy.” It was Angel’s turn to look across at his friend while she looked resolutely away.

“Cor…”

“Yeah, yeah. Love of your life and everything. I do understand.”

A smile started to tug at the corners of Angel’s mouth. “Well, maybe if you let me finish…”

“Can we talk about this later?” Cordelia asked turning away from him and closing her eyes. “I’m tired.”

“Of course.” Angel watched Cordelia as she feigned sleep, both of them knowing they would get no rest that night.

 

****

 

Spike and Buffy lay side by side in the dark room, with only the sound of the others’ breathing to disturb them. They both remained completely still beneath the covers, neither daring to move for fear of what the other would think.

“Spike?” Buffy whispered, knowing that he was still awake.

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember up on that hill?”

“Yes.”

“You kissed me.”

“I did.”

 

“And before that, in the cave.”

“I remember.”

“Well, are you sorry you kissed me?”

“Are you sorry I kissed you?”

“I asked first.”

“Yeah but I’m older than you.”

“Spike!”

 

“Ok, ok. No I am not sorry I kissed you. I wanted to kiss you. I like, no love kissing you.”

“Really?”

Spike rolled onto his side to face her. “Yes!” Then he saw the real insecurity in her eyes and brought one hand up to smooth her hair away from her face. “They really messed you up didn’t they.” It was more a statement than a question and Buffy didn’t even pretend not to know who he was talking about. “I will never leave you.”

 

“I know. I know you’re not them. I’m sorry. I just get scared.”

“Shh. Don’t worry about it.” He leaned in closer to her and she raised her head to meet his kiss. It was softer than their previous kiss. More gentle, more loving. They wrapped themselves in each other and clung on tight until Buffy, realising at the last second her continued need for air, pulled back slightly.

 

“Mm,” she smiled at him as they lay nose to nose, holding one another. “Is it alright if I fall asleep right here?” With a happy smile of his own, Spike rolled Buffy gently onto her other side and spooned against her back. “You better be careful,” she said sleepily as she relaxed in his embrace, “I could get very used to this.”

 

 

**Chapter 24**

 

“I resent that. Or possibly thank you.”

_Xander – ‘Bad Eggs’_

****

 

“Right then,” Ethan said as he entered the cell, the candle he carried with him illuminating the dark room somewhat. “I hope you two have had fun catching up. Unfortunately I’m going to need Faith. And Dawn, you’ll probably want to watch the proceedings from your window.” He moved forward and pulled the teenager to her feet.

 

“If you hurt her I’ll…” Faith’s eyes flashed angrily at him, but Ethan refused to be intimidated.

“Guards!” he shouted and seconds later two guards appeared in the doorway and bowed deeply to him. “Take Miss Faith to change for the joust,” he told them, passing them the keys as he made his way out into the corridor, pulling Dawn along behind him.

 

“Well my dear, I hope you had a nice time with your friend. It’s doubtful that you’ll see anyone but me for another few days.”

“I hate you,” Dawn spat as Ethan pushed her into her room and slammed the door shut behind her. She banged her fists pointlessly against the door for a few minutes, allowing her anger and frustration to escape her for the first time. When she had worn herself out she walked wearily across to the window to wait for the joust. She didn’t want to watch, fearing what she would see, what would happen. One of her friends was going to die. And there was nothing she could do about it.

 

****

 

Faith stared at herself in the long mirror as the maid smoothed out her dress. “There you go miss,” the young girl, who could have been no more than Dawn’s age, said as she stood back to admire her work. “You look beautiful.”

 

The Slayer had to admit that that was true. She did look beautiful. So beautiful she had trouble believing it was actually her looking back from the mirror. She had never really believed herself to be attractive, despite all her confidence and bravado.

 

“I feel weird,” she said blushing as she turned away from the mirror.

“Don’t worry miss. Everything’ll work out soon enough.”

Faith thought that that remained to be seen, but forced a smile as she followed the maid from the room. According to Dawn, one of the Scoobies Ethan had trapped in this game was not going to survive this joust and then she would have to take their place. She was not looking forward to seeing them. She knew she had done enough to hurt them to ensure that they wouldn’t want to see her. Even Angel had stopped visiting a while ago. He had come to break the news of Buffy’s death to her and found that she already knew.

 

_“I felt it. I was dreaming of her. She was falling and falling…And then this white light engulfed her. She called my name and I woke up… And I knew.”_

_“Why didn’t you call me? I would have come straight away.”_

_“It was personal Angel. It was something I had to deal with. I hurt her so much. You don’t know what it’s like.”_

_“Yes I do.”_

 

“Here you are miss,” the maid startled her out of her reverie, and Faith looked warily at the guard the maid had stopped in front of. “He’ll escort you to your seat.”

Faith smiled once more at the young girl and followed the guard outside and into the arena.

 

****

 

Angel woke with a start as the sound of a guard entering the tent. He sat up, jolting Cordelia, who was asleep almost on top of him, awake. Her startled yelp woke the others and everyone turned their attention to the two men who had just entered. One was the captain of the guards; the other was a small man in medireview dress, who looked overjoyed to be there.

 

“Welcome my Lords and Ladies,” he greeted cheerfully as he bowed to them. “I am Dumain. I am instructed to acquaint you with your second challenge.

 

****

 

“What challenge?” Buffy asked as she faced Dumain, arms folded indignantly across her chest.

“One of you must take part in the joust. The decision on who will take part should not be taken lightly. I suggest that the four of you consider who would be most suited to taking part in the event.”

“Four?” Spike asked, confused.

“Of course. The Princess is unable to take part.”

 

****

 

“What?!” Cordelia shouted, as Dumain informed her of her ineligibility to fight. “What kind of stupid rule is that?” Angel refrained from answering, happy that Cordy wouldn’t be placed in any danger. “I’m just as good as any of them,” she continued, gesturing at Xander, Anya and Giles. “Better probably.”

 

“I’m sorry, Princess,” Dumain looked truly saddened that he had upset her, but shook his head in regret. “I don’t make the rules. I am simply here to inform you of them. In fact I shall have no further contact with you. Other than to escort the Princess to the Royal Box.”

 

****

 

“You have to be joking right?”

“There is no way she’s going anywhere with you,” Spike ground out dangerously as he stepped towards Dumain. “She stays with us.”

“I’m afraid I cannot allow that my Lord.” He reached forward and took hold of Buffy’s arm. Spike growled angrily and his eyes flashed yellow, as Buffy struggled ineffectually against Dumain’s grasp.

“Let her go!”

 

Willow shivered slightly as she remembered exactly how scary Spike could be when he put his mind to it. She glanced at Tara, who was staring at the vampire wide-eyed. The blonde witch had seen the blonde vampire happy, sad, angry, suicidal, drunk and lovesick, but she had never seen him homicidal before. She was incredibly glad he was on their side now. Wesley, luckily, had enough experience to take the whole thing in his stride. Soul or no soul, Angel, would have ripped the man’s arm off if had touched Cordelia or Fred like that. If anything he was rather proud of Spike’s restraint.

 

****

 

“You have five seconds to take your hand off her or you’re going to be short one arm,” Angel growled at Dumain.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Melodramatic much?”

“Not now Cor,” Angel responded, not taking his eyes off the unfortunate messenger.

Xander sniggered at the interaction between the two; while he grudgingly allowed himself to feel a little respect for Angel and the way he was protecting Cordelia. He knew he’d feel the same if anyone tried to hurt Anya.

 

“It’s ok,” Cordy told Angel calmly, forcing him to meet her eyes. “I’ll be fine. You’ll come get me when this stupid task is over. I’ll be right there watching. Won’t I?”

 

****

 

“Of course,” Dumain assured Buffy as she tried to reassure the vampire.

“It won’t be long,” she told him with a brave smile, and pulled away from the messenger long enough to press a soft kiss to Spike’s lips. “Good luck guys.”

Dumain led Buffy to the entrance of the tent, where he turned and bowed to the others.

“I love you,” Spike said, knowing that if he didn’t he end up hating himself.

Buffy smiled serenely as she answered. “I know.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 25**

“I said date!”

_Willow – ‘Surprise’_

****

 

“NO!”

“Anya…”

“Did I not say ‘no’ loud and emphatically enough the first time?” Anya asked her fiancée as she stood in front of him, hands placed firmly on her hips.

Xander stood his ground. “An, do you remember the enhanced strength and speed. This is what I’m here for.”

“You’ll get yourself killed. And then where will I be? Sitting all alone in an overpriced wedding dress I dyed black, for the next sixty years until I die, unloved and unwanted by anyone, with no feeling in my soul from the day my heart was torn out when…”

 

“I’ll do it.”

“Oh, thank God.” Anya immediately cheered, moving from near collapse to utter relief in one swift move.

“Angel,” Giles asked, ignoring Anya’s outburst, “are you sure?”

“Have any of you ever jousted before?” The others shook their heads, no. “Then I think I’ve got the edge.”

“Where did the drunkard son of a middle class Irish merchant learn to joust?” Xander asked, deciding not to argue with both Anya and Angel. There was no way he would win.

“You pick things up.”

 

Giles tried to protest again, but stopped when he saw the look Angel was giving him. A brief understanding passed between the two men. It was either Angel or Xander. Which meant it was Angel. The Watcher nodded slightly and then moved away, drawing Anya with him when he saw that Xander wanted to talk to the vampire.

 

“I will do this you know. I’m not trying to prove anything. I just want to help.”

Angel smiled. “I know.” There was an awkward pause, before he added, “I know you don’t like me. Can’t say I like you that much either. But I know you’ll look after everyone if I can’t. You have to protect them if anything happens to me. You have to find Dawn.” He started forward towards Giles but stopped. “She’s important Xander. A friend of mine told me something would happen and that… well I don’t know what. For a psychic he pretty vague at times. But you’ll know when it happens. So you have to protect her.”

 

****

 

Willow rolled her eyes at her girlfriend as Spike paced back and forth in front of them. Tara tried her best to stifle a giggle but the look on Willow’s face was simply too much to take and the laughter burst forth.

 

Spike stopped his pacing and spun swiftly to face Tara. “What?”

Willow snorted at the indignant statement on his face, causing Tara erupt with laughter once again. The vampire’s statement clearly said he thought Tara had gone crazy and he raised his scarred eyebrow at the redhead.

 

“Could you be more tense?” she asked, not the slightest bit affected by his demeanour. “Relax or you’re not even going to make it onto the horse.”

“Hey, I’ll be fine,” Spike assured her as he resumed his pacing. “This thing’ll be over before we know it and then hopefully we’ll get inside the castle and find Dawn.”

“Spike,” Willow countered, inwardly wondering when she had stopped looking at him and seeing a vampire and started to worry about him as much as she did everyone else. “Not that we don’t all believe you’re going to win this thing but, are you sure you want to do this?”

“Who else is going to so it? You? Tara? Not bloody likely.”

 

Willow held up her hands innocently. “Hey I just want to be the voice of reason here, so that if something does happen to you, I can look Buffy straight in the eye and say, ‘I tried to stop him. Damn stubborn vampire’.”

Spike smiled ruefully at Willow. “Sorry Will. I know you want to do something to help.”

“I do,” she said rising from her seat and walking slowly towards him. “Can we talk? Over here?” Confused, Spike followed her over to the bed he’d shared with Buffy and sat down on the space she’d patted next to her.

 

“Do remember the last time we were on a bed together?”

Spike’s head jerked up to stare at her with wide eyes. “What? We never…”

“You failed to perform. I remember I was a little upset.”

“I, uh, Willow I don’t…” He saw her eyes were twinkling and a memory surged to the surface. “Oh. Right.”

 

The young witch chuckled. “We have a history of beds don’t we. The first time we were on one together, you threatened to shove a bottle in my face. The second time you tried to turn me into a vampire.”

Spike winced. “And I wonder why you hate me.”

“I don’t,” Willow told him earnestly. “I’ve never hated you. I was scared of you. And then a little sorry for you. And sometimes I’ve really, really wanted to stake you or burn you or something.”

“Thanks.”

 

“But I’ve never hated you. I mean you didn’t shove that bottle in my face did you?”

“No.”

“And you tried to make me feel better when I thought you wouldn’t turn me didn't you?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re really, really sorry about tying Buffy up in your crypt and then threatening to let Drusilla eat her aren’t you.”

“Of course I am!” Spike practically shouted and Willow could have sworn he’d be blushing if he were human.

 

“That’s alright then. The clean slate started when you didn’t tell Glory about Dawn. So I’m going to help you.”

“Help me what?”

“With Buffy,” Willow explained slowly. “Me and Tara, we’re playing matchmaker.”

Spike stared at her.

“You’re welcome Willow,” the redhead whispered and smiled when the vampire automatically repeated it. “I don’t know what Xander’s going to say,” she continued as she slid off the bed. “Maybe we should wait until after your first date to tell him.”

 

“Will,” Spike stopped her as she started back towards Tara and Wesley. “Do you really think I can do this?”

“I know you can.”

 

****

 

Faith gazed out over the crowds that had been gathering since the early hours of the morning. The arena at present was filled with stalls, vendors selling food and goods to the crowds as they mingled together before the main event, which would take place sometime that evening.

 

She had spent all afternoon in the Royal Box, which was centrally situated on the right hand side of the arena. For the first time since she had arrived at the castle she had been fed and was now considering her options. She could either wait for the joust and watch someone she knew die, find a way out and try to help the others escape, or she could try to find Dawn again. However without her Slayer strength or speed to help her she knew she wouldn’t get very far.

 

The door opened behind her, breaking her out of her reverie, and she turned her head to see Cordelia enter the box. Faith stood quickly and waited, wondering what the former cheerleader would say.

“Faith?” Cordelia looked surprised for a moment, before she shook her head in defeat. “I don’t know why I bother even trying to act surprised anyone. You get to a point where you accept everything no questions asked.” She sat down wearily. “Were you kidnapped?” The Slayer nodded. “Figures.”

 

The two young women sat in silence for a long moment as Cordelia looked out over the arena. As the seer opened her mouth to speak, the door opened once again to admit Buffy. “Cordelia? Faith?” The Slayer hugged Cordy warmly, before turning to Faith. “Kidnapped?”

“Yes.” Faith replied shortly, unsure of what to say. Her face remained impassive as she waited for Buffy to speak.

 

“Ok,” Buffy forced a smile, realising it was best for them all to try to get along while they remained trapped together. “Do you know anything about what’s going on, or why we’re here? Have you seen Dawn?”

Cordelia shook her head, but Faith’s eyes lit up slightly. “I saw her. Ethan brought her down from the tower to see me. She’s fine. No one’s hurt her.” Faith paused for a moment, debating whether to add the next part. “She told me about your mom. I’m so sorry Buffy.”

 

A slightly haunted statement crossed Buffy’s face at the mention of her mother, but she didn’t say anything. She knew Faith had meant what she said. “Didn’t Angel tell you? About my mom? I thought he was checking up on you?”

“The last time, he came to tell me about you. We didn’t really talk about anything else. Before that, I hadn’t seen him since around Christmas.”

Buffy was nodding absently, trying to remember what Faith had said about Dawn that had made her…

“Wait. Did you say Ethan had Dawn?”

 

 

**Chapter 26**

“Now I’m having a wiggins.”

_Xander – ‘Innocence’_

****

 

As the sun set, the crowd in the stadium settled into their seats and Buffy, Cordelia and Faith waited impatiently for the event to begin.

 

Dawn stared out of the tower window her gaze sweeping the illuminated arena for any sign of her sister and her friends.

 

Xander and Giles both wished Angel good luck as they were led out of their tent to the preparation area.

 

Willow and Tara both kissed Spike affectionately on the cheek as he mounted his horse, taking the shield and lance in his hands.

 

The stadium erupted with the sound of cheering as Dumain strode out the centre of the arena. “Your Royal Highnesses, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Tolemac Joust!” He waited while the crowd roared once again. “Tonight we have a very special match. The White Knight, Lord William, versus the Red Knight, Lord Angel.”

 

The noise in the stadium was deafening.

 

Buffy couldn’t hear anything. Spike and Angel. Spike and Angel. One of them was going to die. Her mind shut down. She didn’t hear Cordelia’s gasp of fright, or see the worry that passed briefly through Faith’s eyes. One tiny part of her mind, some primal Slayer instinct told her she shouldn’t care. What did two vampires fighting to the death matter? It wasn’t like it was Willow or Xander or Giles. Just two vampires. They weren’t half as important as Dawn.

 

The rest of Buffy’s mind silenced the rebellious instinct almost as soon as it had raised its head. These weren’t merely two vampires. They were important. To her, to Dawn, to the world. She couldn’t contemplate what her life would be like without one of them.

 

****

 

Willow and Tara stood stock still, staring up at Spike with matching expressions of dread on their faces. “Bollocks,” Spike swore quietly, before flashing them a carefree grin. “Don’t either of you worry about a thing you hear me? Angel and me, we’ll be fine, I promise.” Then, leaning down towards Wesley who stood on the opposite side of the horse he murmured, “Take good care of them if anything happens Wesley. And look after Buffy and Dawn for me.”

 

****

 

Angel closed his eyes, hoping not for the first time that when he opened them he would be at home in the hotel with Cordy and not trapped in this hellish game. It wasn’t to be however, and instead he was greeted with looks of confusion and fear from his companions.

 

“Remember what I said Xander,” he told the younger man firmly, inhaling a needless yet calming breath. Xander nodded carefully and stepped back, unsure now of what to do or say.

“Try not to kill Spike,” Anya pleaded and he smiled comfortingly at her. “Don’t worry about it Anya. We’ll both be fine.”

“Right then,” Giles said nodding once at Angel before drawing the others away to the sidelines as Angel lined up to begin the joust.

 

****

 

As the two vampires rode swiftly towards each other time slowed down for the Scoobies watching with bated breath. Buffy and Cordelia unknowingly gripped the edge of the box, their knuckles turning white from the pressure as they concentrated on the two horse edging nearer and nearer to each other.

 

Willow and Tara clung to each other while, Wesley stood beside them, his jaw firmly clenched in anxiety. Anya buried her face in her fiancée’s chest as he held her, all the while keeping his eyes trained on Angel and Spike. Giles, locating Buffy in the stadium, divided his attention between the vampires and the Slayer, his worry for her mixing with his severe dread of the outcome of this match.

 

The two lances clashed noisily against the opposing shields as the two horses passed on the first attempt. Dawn inhaled sharply, tears falling freely down her face as she waited, watching in unbridled horror, the scene playing out before her.

 

The horses turned and started towards each other once again, the blank expressions on the faces of the competitors belying the raging thoughts and emotions of both. They neared each other once more. The crowd faded into the background.

 

Buffy and Cordelia simultaneously stood, their nails digging into the wood of the box before them. The Scoobies drew a collective breath and waited. Dawn stared wide-eyed at the two vampires unable to tear her eyes away.

 

One of the lances slid against the shield, slipping underneath the only defence.

 

Angel dropped his weapon in horror. But it was too late.

 

His Childe disintegrated before him.

 

****

 

“Oh! Pity!” Darla drawled as she watched the dust settle. She glanced at her companion. “Dru?”

“Spike.” Drusilla felt the slightest twinge of something pass through her. She stared at the spot where her Childe had been just seconds before and tried to grasp hold of that feeling inside. Pain? Anger? Loss? Love? “Spike,” she murmured again, a frown creasing her brow as she willed herself to feel.

 

“Yes it’s a shame,” Darla stated casually. “But you can’t have everything. Don’t worry love, we still have Angelus to play with.”

The feeling escaped Drusilla as her tormented mind turned its attention from her Childe to her Sire and all sorrow or regret was instantly forgotten. “Daddy. Yes, we still have daddy.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 27**

“Remember. You’re supposed to be a weak little girly girl like the rest of us.”

_Willow – ‘Phases’_

****

 

“Dawn?” Ethan called through the door, trying to gauge her reaction to what had happened before he entered. He frowned slightly when he heard no noise within the room. No sobbing, no screaming or shouting. Just an ominous silence.

 

He cautiously opened the door to her room. “Dawn? Are you…?” He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw his young captive lying unmoving, on the hard stone floor. He moved quickly towards her, immediately bending down to check her pulse.

 

She was alive.

 

Ethan allowed himself to breathe. “Dawn!” he called, tapping her face lightly. “Dawn wake up.” She didn’t move. “Dawn!” He carefully lifted her from the ground and moved her to the bed. He spent the next fifteen minutes trying to wake her. He shook her gently, then less gently; splashed her face with water and all the while calling her name.

 

She didn’t wake up.

 

****

 

Buffy was vaguely aware of calling her name. A small sound really, calling her from a great distance. Just her name. It was her name wasn’t it? Buffy. It didn’t matter. Her name didn’t matter. That far off voice could call whatever it wanted. She still wouldn’t be listening.

 

She remembered this feeling. This place. She could get lost here. She could be happy here. In this safe little world she created. The one she had sunk into when her mother died. The one she had refused to move from when Glory kidnapped Dawn.

 

Except this time, she wasn’t reliving the past. She didn’t have her favourite moments on a permanent loop inside her mind. This was a brand new place. These were visions of things that could have been. But they were too far away; they were over too quickly.

 

And that voice was there again. Calling her name. But louder now. More insistent.

 

With a start Buffy’s head jerked up and she met Cordelia’s eyes. She watched her friend’s mouth move and wondered why was wasn’t speaking. Oh she was speaking. It was the pounding in the Slayer’s ears that stopped her hearing what Cordy had to say.

 

Buffy turned her head back to the arena. She watched Angel pull violently at the reins of his horse, forcing the animal to rear up. She looked for Spike. Where was…?

 

As the truth hit Buffy full force, her Slayer instinct took over. The anger and rage inside her, matched only by despair and grief, only knew one effective output. She wanted to kill something. Regardless of her depleted energy and strength she vaulted over the side of the box and ran towards the centre of the arena where Angel was now standing, trying to control his horse.

 

He sensed her behind him and spun round, letting go of the animal before Buffy launched herself at him. Her clenched fists beat his chest, the look in her eyes hurting him more than any physical force ever could. He stood still, letting her release her anger, allowing her punish him for what he had done. For what he already blamed himself.

 

“How could you?” she screamed, closing her eyes as they filled with tears. “You killed him! You killed him! How could you?” She started to cry in earnest and the blows slowed to a stop. Angel pulled her against him and gently stroked her hair, whispering endless apologies to her and to Spike. She pushed away from him and sank down to the floor of the arena, at the point where Spike had turned to dust.

 

****

 

The Scoobies watched in mounting horror and disbelief from opposite ends of the stadium as Angel’s lance pierced the Master vampire’s heart. Giles’ eyes immediately turned from the centre of the arena back to Buffy and he watched as she jumped out of the Royal box and raced across the arena to Angel. Seconds later they were all running towards the devastated Slayer, stopping in a circle around her as they fought to come to terms with what had happened.

 

Silently Willow stepped forward and knelt down beside her best friend, wrapping her arms around her in love and support. “Buffy?” the redhead asked cautiously, hoping that Buffy wouldn’t fall into a catatonic state as she had done earlier in the year. The Slayer looked up at her and the look in her eyes made Willow’s heart clench. She had never seen her friend in so much pain.

 

Without a word, the young witch lifted her friend and carried her back towards the Royal box. She barely glanced at Faith and Cordelia as she set Buffy down in one of the chairs, holding on to her hand as she sat down next to her. Only then did she look up.

 

Angel stood in the corner farthest from Buffy, with Wesley and Cordelia hovering close by. Giles and Tara stood together watching over their loved ones with concerned expressions. Xander’s face was impassive. Only years of best friend experience enabled Willow to distinguish that Xander was more affected by this than he cared to admit. Anya’s jaw was clenched tight and her eyes remained fixed on one spot, her hand firmly gripping her fiancée’s. Finally there was Faith.

 

“Faith?” Willow exclaimed aloud, causing everyone to turn and stare at the younger Slayer. The young brunette had no idea what to say so she remained silent, allowing everyone to once again focus on the present problem.

“Buffy,” Giles addressed the Slayer, kneeling down in front of her. “I am so very sorry.”

 

‘No, you’re not!’ was what she wanted to shout at him. ‘You don’t care if he’s dead or alive. He’s just another vampire to you.’ Instead she raised her head and, looking directly at her former Watcher, she forced a small smile. “I know.” Knowing that she had to go on, that she had to find Dawn, Buffy sucked in a deep breath and stood. She would take charge; she would get everyone home. Then she could grieve. “Ok. No more splitting up. If one of us goes somewhere, we all go. Our only priority from here on out is Dawn.” She turned back to Giles. “Faith says that Ethan has her.”

 

The Watcher’s face hardened at the mention of his former friend. He would kill Ethan for this.

 

 

**Chapter 28**

“But you’re not a rat. So call it an up-side.”

_Oz – ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.’_

****

 

“Dawn.”

 

“Hello?” the teenage girl called out as she stared into the emptiness around her. “Hello?”

 

“Dawn.”

 

The young girl stopped. “Ok, you know my name. But I don’t know yours so, don’t you think you taking advantage? Who are you? Where am I?”

“You are at the beginning Dawn.”

“The beginning of what?”

“Everything.”

“Vague much?” Dawn muttered as she looked around for the source of the voice. “Look I’d really like to know who you are.”

 

“We are the Powers. Who are you?”

Dawn frowned. “Dawn. But you knew that.”

“We know who you are. Do you know who you are?”

“I’m Da… Oh,” Dawn’s face fell. “Well, I’m the key I guess.”

“The key. But who are you?”

“Will you stop with the Alice in Wonderland questions already? I’m Dawn. The fifteen-year-old sister of the Slayer. Or I’m an ageless key to opening dimensions. No one did a really good job of explaining to me what I am.”

“Not what. Who?”

“Huh.”

 

“You are not the Slayer’s sister Dawn. You are the key. You open the gateway between worlds.”

“You want me to guess what you’re talking about don’t you? Well I’m not going to. If you want me to know something, you’re going to have to stop with the cryptic and spell it out for me.”

“It is not our place to say.”

“Then why am I here?”

 

There was a long silence and Dawn was beginning to think that Powers had abandoned her without answering when they finally spoke. “You are here to discover what you are; who you are. You are here to fulfil your destiny.”

 

****

 

Spike had never imagined hell to be like this. From his birth he had been taught of that Christian hell, bringing eternal torment to its inhabitants. That belief had remained with him throughout his 120 years as a vampire and he had often thought about what would happen to him in such a place. What would eternal torment be to a vampire?

 

Last May he knew that that fire and brimstone vision was wrong. He experienced hell, and for the first time in his existence, he was truly afraid. Hell had been Buffy’s broken body in the rubble of the construction site. Hell had been those three months of her death. Hell was a cold and lonely place, without hope.

 

So the bright white and empty void he found himself in came as a surprise. It wasn’t cold or desolate. It was warm and comforting. “Hello?”

 

“William.”

 

“Spike,” the vampire corrected automatically, looking around him for the owner of the voice. “Who’s there?”

“We are the Powers William.”

Spike frowned. “The Powers?”

“Yes William.”

“What am I doing here? With you? I died. Stake through the heart. Shouldn’t I be in hell?”

“You are here to learn William. It is vital that you understand your role. It is vital that you discover who you are. Of what you are a part of.”

 

“I don’t understand.”

“We are offering you an opportunity William. But you must work in this dimension until it is time for you to return.”

“Return?” Spike asked, hope filling his voice. “I get to go back?” He’d see Buffy and Dawn again. That one thought made him ready to face anything that was to come.

 

“Once you have completed your task.”

Spike sighed. A task. He was quickly becoming annoyed with the vague references. “What task?”

There was no answer.

 

As Spike opened his mouth to repeat the question the light surrounding him faded and the reality of the dimension surrounded him.

 

He was in Sunnydale.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 29**

“You were supposed to kill the bitch! Not leave gag gifts in her friends’ beds.”

_Spike – ‘Passion’_

****

 

A brisk knock at the door heralded the arrival of Dumain, who swept eagerly into the royal box, seeming not to notice the dark mood of its occupants. Angel growled low in his throat and his eyes flashed yellow for a moment before Cordelia’s hand on his arm stopped him from hurting the man.

 

“Well it appears that the Red Knight successfully completed the second task, allowing his team to enter the castle. You may take your prize and continue. Your highness,” he turned to Buffy and addressed her solemnly. “Lord William failed in his objective and therefore…” Dumain trailed off as he watched the statement on Buffy’s face harden.

“Where is he?” Buffy said slowly, her voice deceptively calm.

“I, I, I,” Dumain stuttered nervously, “I don’t know who you…”

“Ethan. Ethan Rayne. I know he’s here.” Buffy stood and stepped closer to smaller man. “You’re going to take me to him.”

“Your highness…”

“Take me to him.”

 

“Highness there is no way I can take you to him. The only way for any of you to proceed through the castle is to complete the next task,” Dumain told her quickly, correctly fearing the look in her eyes.

“Then we all go,” Buffy announced firmly, dismissing the man immediately and turning to the others. “We stay together, we work together and we get Dawn. I don’t care about anything that happens after that.” She turned back to the messenger. “Where do we go?”

 

****

 

Dawn stood confused for a moment as she suddenly found herself standing in her bedroom. Except it wasn’t her bedroom. The light purple walls remained but the belongings that had cluttered her shelves and the posters that had adorned the walls were missing. It was as though she had never been there. Dawn shivered at the thought. Was that what the Powers had meant? Were they showing her that she didn’t belong in Sunnydale? That she wasn’t meant to be there?

 

She turned around slowly, taking in everything. The dressing table remained by the window, devoid of her makeup, perfume and jewellery. A rocking chair sat next to it the corner, a white crocheted blanket draped over the back. A long chest lay underneath the other window; two dolls perched on top. With a smile Dawn recognised them. One was hers and one was Buffy’s, presents from their grandparents when they were born. Continuing her examination of her room, Dawn turned towards where her bed usually stood and stumbled back a step. A cradle, complete with lace-trimmed canopy, was the focus of the room. Curious, she stepped forward, peering over the edge of the crib, and was disappointed to find it empty.

 

Completing her inspection, Dawn emerged from the room and cautiously made her way down the hall. She glanced towards her sister’s room, but the door was closed and she didn’t want to take the chance of disturbing anyone. A noise from the kitchen disturbed her and she crept quietly down the stairs, hoping that whoever was there would be able to tell her what was going on. Right now she rather wished she was still locked in that tower if Ethan’s waiting for Buffy and Spike to rescue her.

 

She stopped suddenly, her breath catching painfully as the realisation of her friend’s death washed over her. Spike would not be on his way to rescue her. He would never be there for her again. She continued down the stairs almost automatically, and before she even realised she was moving again, had stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, her statement one of pure shock.

 

“Mommy?”

 

****

 

Buffy silently led the others through the courtyard to the main doors of the castle. The Scoobies took the opportunity to acquaint each other with what had passed before they had arrived in the castle grounds, Buffy and Angel alone remaining silent.

 

Giles and Wesley talked quietly as they walked immediately behind Buffy, Giles explaining his history with Ethan Rayne to the younger man. Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander walked slightly behind them, Faith hovering uncomfortably on the outskirts, with Angel and Cordelia at the rear.

 

“Are you ok?” Cordelia asked Angel for what seemed the hundredth time and once again he refused to answer. His shoulders twitched in what Cordy assumed was a shrug and she reached out gently, taking her hand in his. “It’s ok not to be ok you know,” she tried with a small smile. He turned to look at her properly and she squeezed his hand tighter as she saw how much this was hurting him. He nodded, acknowledging that she understood and was trying to help. He wanted to reassure her, but couldn’t seem to find the words. Instead he raised her hand to his lips and softly kissed it.

 

Faith looked back at them and sighed, feeling an odd shot of jealousy pass through her. She considered Angel to be her friend but had never seriously imagined that there could be anymore between them. Watching him and Cordelia together however made her feel something that had been missing since her first Watcher’s death three years ago.

 

Lost in her thoughts, she missed her footing, stumbling forward slightly. A pair of arms grasped her own and kept her upright and she turned to smile at them gratefully. “Thanks. I guess I should watch where I’m… Wesley!”

Faith’s face fell as she looked at the closed statement of her Watcher. He let go of her arms and nodded slightly at her thanks before moving to catch up with Buffy, who maintained her lead, stalking purposefully through the crowds of people. After only a second’s hesitation, Faith followed.

 

She fell into step beside him, considering her words carefully. During her time in prison she had spent hours planning what she would say to the people she had hurt the most when she was released. Standing here with Wesley she realised she hadn’t had enough time to perfect it. The former Watcher remained silent, his body tense as he waited for her to speak.

 

Finally Faith accepted that nothing she could say would ever be enough. Long explanations and apologies couldn’t possibly make up for the torture she had inflicted upon him.

“I’m sorry.”

 

The young girl waited anxiously for Wesley to say something. She couldn’t stand the silence and knew she’d prefer it if he screamed and shouted at her. “I know that doesn’t make up for what I did…”

“Damn right it doesn’t,” Wesley growled, halting his pursuit of Buffy and grabbing Faith’s arm, forcing her to face him. “Don’t imagine you can ever make up for it. What you did to me was as wicked and as low as you could get. I wasn’t a perfect Watcher, I wasn’t a good friend, and I should have done more for you, I know. But your behaviour towards me didn’t help in any way. We both could have done better, but that is no excuse for what you did to me later. None. So don’t imagine an apology however sincere will set everything right between us. It’s going to take a hell of lot more than that.”

 

****

 

“Mommy?”

 

Dawn stared at her mother, her statement a mixture of delight and dread, as Joyce cleaned the kitchen counter. “Mom?” Dawn repeated, forcing herself to move forwards as her mother ignored her presence. “Mom? Can you hear me? It’s me. Dawn. Do you remember me?”

 

She reached out and touched her mother’s shoulder, but pulled back sharply as her mother stilled and shivered. “Mom?” Dawn whispered, hoarsely, her throat choking with emotion. She didn’t exist here. She was merely a presence, not a physical being. Her mother couldn’t see her or hear her and Dawn wanted to weep at the cruelty of it all. Was this how life was supposed to be, with Dawn as a force in the universe but not a real part of life?

 

Dawn heard the front door open and her sister’s voice call out. “Hey mom.”

“Hi sweetie,” Joyce called back, quickly drying her hands. “Do you need a hand?”

“No I got it,” Buffy assured her, following it quickly with a muttered curse. Dawn hurried quickly out of the kitchen and through the dining room towards her sister. She found her in the hall, wrestling with an unyielding pram.

 

“Buffy?” Dawn tried, but she knew it was useless. She was here to observe. So she watched with some amusement as her sister struggled with the stiff supports of the cover, finally giving up when she caught her finger in the metal. With a sigh Buffy manoeuvred the pram into the dining room.

 

Pulling the small blankets back, Buffy’s face lit up in a way Dawn had never seen before. The look of love and awe on her face merely increased as she reached down and lifted the tiny baby into her arms. “Hello sweetheart,” she murmured softly, arranging her comfortably in her embrace. “You wanna go and see Grandma?”

 

As Buffy walked towards the kitchen, her sister remained rooted to the spot. The baby was Buffy’s. Buffy had a baby. And though she couldn’t say why, the thought was oddly comforting.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 30**

“Tact is just not saying true stuff.”

 _Cordelia – ‘Killed By Death’_  
****

 

Buffy stopped at the huge wooden door and waited impatiently for her friends to join her. She had to reach Dawn as soon as possible. Her sister was her lifeline, the one thing that kept her from giving in and breaking down completely, and now, as she faced an internal struggle with feelings she had never experienced before, she wanted to see Dawn more than ever.

 

But to reach her, Buffy had to let the Slayer take control. That hard, determined machine she had worried so much about becoming was forced to the fore and the doors to all other feeling were relentlessly slammed shut.

 

Fingers snapped in front of her face and Buffy blinked up at the man in front of her. “Wesley.” He gave her a half-hearted smile and stood resolutely silent next to her. Buffy loved him for it. No ‘ _Are you ok?_ ’ or ‘ _If there’s anything I can do…_ ’ or ‘ _It’ll all be alright._ ’ He was just there; ready to help if she asked.

 

Like Spike.

 

One of the doors in her mind gave an almighty shudder as the full torrent of emotion swept up against it but the Slayer held fast. Now was not the time.

 

Buffy jumped slightly as a hand fell gently on her shoulder and she turned to see Faith, head down, long dark hair obscuring her face, standing before her. The young blonde glanced up at Wesley who had stiffened considerably at the other Slayer’s approach and sighed. Whatever had happened between the two of them was their business and only they could be the ones to resolve it. Buffy had enough problems of her own to deal with.

 

“Buffy?” Giles interrupted them as the others arrived, “Are you ready?”

The Slayer nodded determinedly. “Everyone stick together. Our priority is Dawn. Everything else can be settles later.” Giles met her gaze and a silent agreement passed between them. Both understood that Ethan had to be found and stopped, but that could wait until they were reunited with the youngest Summers.

 

****

 

Spike shook his head in defeat as he glanced up and down Sunnydale’s main street. He was trapped in an alternate reality, searching for answers to questions he didn’t even know. Bloody Powers and their cryptic explanations. What could he possibly learn on some sort of quest that they couldn’t tell him when he had been standing in front of him? His only comfort was knowing he would be able to see Buffy and Dawn again soon.

 

The thought of his two favourite girls had him crossing the street towards the Magic Box before he even realised he was moving. He stopped short just outside the store as a man emerged, pulling the door closed behind him. The stranger paid no attention to the vampire as he locked the door and made his way down the street, but Spike’s brow furrowed as he felt a sliver of recognition. The man seemed in some way familiar.

 

“Hey!” Spike called out, running to catch up with the other man. “Hey, wait!” The man continued to ignore Spike as he fell into step beside him. “Hello?” The vampire drawled, waving his hands in front of the man’s face. “Can you see me? Hear me? Great.” He reached into his pocket for his cigarettes and lighter; content to follow the man for the time being and glad he had the opportunity to examine him more closely.

 

The stranger had unruly dark blonde that had a tendency to fall in front of his eyes, which together with the wire rimmed spectacles, obscured them from Spike’s vision. He was the same height and overall build as the vampire and although obviously human, walked with the same confidence and carelessness as Sp…

 

Spike stopped as the thought occurred to him, allowing the man to continue on without him. “Oh God no,” the vampire murmured in horrified tones as he recognised the man in front of him as the man he used to be.

 

****

 

Dawn watched from the kitchen doorway as Buffy settled down with her baby daughter on the living room couch. She was surprised at the effect the little one seemed to have on her sister. For one thing, she couldn’t remember another time when she had seen Buffy so happy, except maybe once, a couple of years ago, when Willow had put the whammy on her and Spike and she had danced through the house on her way to the Magic Box, proclaiming her love for the vampire and swearing that Dawnie would make such a beautiful Maid of Honour.

 

The teenager smiled fondly at the memory, but her attention snapped back to the present as her sister spoke. “That’s right sweet thing,” Buffy soothed as she rocked the baby gently in her arms. “Daddy’ll be home soon.” Dawn’s eyebrows rose as she considered who the baby’s father was for the first time. Not Angel; vampire’s couldn’t have children, could they? Riley maybe. Her nose wrinkled at the thought.

 

The front door opened again Buffy turned her head to greet the newcomer as she continued to rock her daughter. “Hi baby,” she said softly, and then continued smiling down at the baby, “See sweetheart. Daddy’s home.”

“Hello Nibblet.”

The name rather than the voice drew Dawn’s attention to the young fair-haired man who had just entered the room and seated himself next to Buffy on the couch. Her eyes narrowed as she peered at him. His words were pure Spike, but the man in the living room was so far removed from the vampire she knew and loved she couldn’t easily reconcile the two.

 

****

 

Spike watched through the window of the Summers’ house as his other self sat with his arms around Buffy in the living room. Obviously there was something here he had to learn, but so far he could only see what he knew already to be true. His musing was cut short when he saw Buffy carefully pass a bundle of blankets to William. The other man cradled them close as though they were something precious and Spike moved to get a better view of the bundle. He stared in shock at the baby gurgling up at William and Buffy.

 

A movement at the back of the room brought his head up from contemplation of the child and he saw Dawn standing in the doorway. Their eyes met and they held each other’s gaze for a moment before Dawn raced towards the back door and Spike sprinted around the side of the house to meet her.

 

She threw herself into his arms and he lifted her off the ground, hugging her tightly. “I thought you were dead,” she told him, her voice quivering with suppressed emotion.

“I thought you were locked in a tower,” he replied, smiling against her hair.

“I was, I mean, I am but…”

“Powers That Be?” Spike asked with a disdainful smirk as he set her back on the ground.

“Yeah. They want me to learn about myself. All I’ve learned so far is that I don’t exist here.”

 

They stood silent for a moment before Dawn started to grin broadly at her friend. “So that’s you in there, huh? Nice glasses.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 31**

“Don’t walk away from me, bitch!”

_James - I Only Have Eyes For You_

****

 

The door to the tower room slammed shut, startling him from his place at Dawn’s bedside. The young girl remained unconscious and with each passing minute Ethan became more and more anxious.

 

And now he was trapped.

 

The Slayer and her friends were inside the castle. If Buffy or Giles managed to reach the tower, he could only begin to imagine what would happen to him when they found him there with an unconscious Dawn. He had an awful feeling that there would be a great deal of pain involved.

 

Ethan turned back to Dawn, wondering once again what could have happened to cause her to fall into a coma. She had been perfectly alright before the joust. And while he understood that her friend’s death must have been painful to her, he was sure it couldn’t have initiated the young girl’s condition.

 

“Dawn,” he tried again to wake the girl but she remained unresponsive. “Dawn?” He rubbed his hands over his face as he slumped back resignedly in his seat. “Where are you?”

 

****

 

Spike sat next to Dawn on the back porch steps, a comforting arm placed awkwardly around her shoulders as she told him about Ethan. “He’s scared. I don’t think Darla and Dru gave him much of a choice about taking part in this little game of theirs, but he threw himself into it wholeheartedly. Now I think he’s worried about what’ll happen to him when Buffy and Giles catch up with him.”

 

Spike’s mouth quirked into a grin when he imagined what Giles would do to his old friend. He was sure he wouldn’t want to miss it.

“And then you died,” Dawn continued, backhanding him in the stomach before resting her head on his shoulder. “Do you know how awful that felt?”

“Well, I was the one with the lance through my heart ‘bit…”

“And then we ended up here…” she frowned as she trailed off, her line of though asking why Spike was there. “What are you doing here?” she asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

 

“To learn what I am part of,” Spike quoted. “Whatever that means. So far all I’ve seen is William playing happy families with your sis.”

The young girl smiled. “I so want to see her face when you tell her.” She paused, as if unsure whether or not to say any more and then sighed. “She loves you, you know. She pretends like she doesn’t, for the guys. But they don’t have to be with her all the time like I do. I see what they don’t.”

“What do you see?”

 

“I see that the way she always smiles when you come into the room. And the way she tilts her head when I talk about you to show she’s paying attention. She’s just a little bruised and a lot scared and… well… confused.”

“Confused.”

“This is so not how it was with Angel. And you’re exactly the opposite of him. She’s bound to feel weird about that.”

 

They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Spike stood and pulled Dawn to her feet next to him. “Well I suppose the sooner we get started Sweet Pea, the sooner we can go home. We’re here to learn what we are, and inside is as good a place to start as any.”

 

****

 

As the doors to the castle swung open and the group entered cautiously, Xander and Tara led the others into the enormous main hall. Anya and Willow stepped up next to their loved ones, reaching out around them through the dimly lit room with their senses, to detect any threat. As the former demon moved further into the room she stumbled and looking down, screamed in fright as she realised she was balancing on the very edge of the floor where it gave way to a seemingly unending abyss. Instinctually Xander reached for her, pulling her back from the edge and holding tightly to her arm as he drew her closer to him.

 

Buffy peered in vain through the darkness, her eyes searching for a way across the gaping chasm. “There,” Angel’s voice cut sharply through the silence of the room and the other turned quickly to look at him, before following his outstretched hand to a point on the floor. As their eyes adjusted to the dark, they could vaguely make out the form of a narrow plank of wood, stretching from one side of the room to the other.

 

“That’s it?” Faith cried, not believing the simplicity of the challenge. “I thought these things were supposed to get harder.”

“They are,” Buffy answered, frowning at the door on the other side of the room. “Something’s not right here.”

“Maybe Ethan didn’t have time to finish,” Willow suggested hopefully.

Tara squeezed her girlfriend’s hand supportively. “Or maybe this isn’t as easy as it looks.”

 

“Well there’s only one way to find out,” Angel told them, stepping closer to the walkway. He looked back towards Cordelia, their eyes meeting over the short distance, confiding things they felt they could never say aloud. As he turned away, Buffy caught his gaze and, finding a mirror of her own feelings of pain and guilt, her lips quirked into a small reassuring smile.

 

Angel closed his eyes and nodded once at his former love before turning back to the task at hand. He inhaled deeply and stepped forward onto the makeshift bridge.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 32**

“I’m undercover”

 

“Not under much!”

_Xander and Buffy – ‘Go Fish’_

****

 

Angel crossed the bridge quickly without any ill effect. Stepping off the walkway on the ledge at the far end of the room he looked around cautiously, waiting for something to leap out at him after the ridiculously simple task. Buffy and Tara were right. There was no way it could be this easy. He frowned as he approached the door. The closer he got to it, the more it looked like…“Damn,” he swore quietly, but the sound echoed through the silent room, reaching the sensitive ears of Willow and Anya on the other side.

 

“What’s wrong?” the redhead shouted back as the others searched in vain for the cause of the vampire’s anxiety.

“It’s not a real door. It’s just painted onto the wall. An optical illusion.” He slammed his fist into the wall, trying to create an opening. “Damn,” he swore again as the sharp rock sliced open his hand.

 

“Are you ok?” Anya called out, the scent of blood reaching her and causing her stomach to churn. Cordelia forced her eyes away from Angel’s outline and turned to Anya. “What? What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s bleeding,” Anya answered shortly as she raised her hand to cover her nose and mouth. “I hate this,” she hissed at Xander, who placed a comforting arm around her waist.

 

Cordelia stepped towards the bridge. “Angel I’m coming over…”

Giles and Buffy immediately stepped forward to protest but Angel’s voice sounded before they could speak. “No. Stay where you are Cor, there’s no point in risking it. I’ll come back over to you.”

The young woman rolled her eyes and stepped onto the beam, holding her arms out to the sides for balance. Simultaneously, the vampire stepped onto the other side of the bridge.

 

“I thought I told you to stay over there.”

“You tell me a lot of things, oh master. The point you’re forgetting is that I always ignore you.”

“And you always get into trouble”

“That’s completely unfair and totally untrue.”

“Cordelia…”

“Sometimes I get into trouble and sometimes you get me into trouble, but I doubt that you can name a single time when me not listening to you got me into trouble.”

“How about…?”

“And I think it’s unfair of you not to count all the times I did listen to you and got into trouble. And all the times you listened to you and got into trouble.”

 

The Scoobies watched in mounting disbelief as the pair made their way towards each other, bickering with each other the entire time. Eventually they were standing inches from one another, no longer concerned about the unending blackness below them, content to argue with one another. A hint of a smile formed on Buffy’s face as Angel unconsciously took Cordelia’s hand and led her back to the ledge that he had started from.

 

Only when a determined silence settled between them did Cordelia notice that they were back on solid ground. She looked down and, seeing the aching void that lay between them and the others, swayed slightly on her feet. Immediately, Angel’s arms were around her, supporting her as she fought the attack of dizziness. She smiled up at him, thankful as always for his presence and Angel did the only thing he could think of. The thing he’d wanted to for the past two years.

 

He kissed her.

 

****

 

Dawn sat perched on the sideboard in the dining room her attention torn between the conversation at the dinner table and Spike who was staring at the baby lying in the nearby crib, with a mixture of delight and trepidation. “It can see me,” he declared as a small arm was extended towards him and a tiny baby fist clenched and unclenched in his general direction.

“She’s a she, not an it,” Dawn corrected, “and I doubt she can see you. No one else can.”

“I’m telling you,” Spike insisted, “it’s staring right at me.”

“Fine,” Dawn gave in with a roll of her eyes, “she can see you. But unless she starts talking in the next five minutes, that’s not going to be much of a help.”

 

“Buffy the Christening is on Saturday,” Joyce’s voice interrupted them and Dawn dragged her eyes away from the Master vampire making faces at the gurgling baby and listened to her mother. “Have you decided on a name yet?”

Buffy and William turned looked first at the baby, then at Joyce and then at each other. They sat in silence for several minutes, talking to each other solely with their eyes.

 

Dawn sighed. “Great, more baby talk. How is this supposed to help us?” Glancing back at Spike, she realised she may have been talking to a wall. Her friend was now crouched down next to the crib in vamp face, cooing and purring as he stared intently at William and Buffy’s child, who was slowly drifting off to sleep.

 

“Dawn.”

The brunette jumped as she heard her name and swivelled quickly to look at her sister. She smiled in delight as she realised they must have seen her, recognised her. She did exist here. She was meant to be in Sunnydale with Buffy.

 

But Buffy wasn’t looking at Dawn. No one at the table was.

 

They were looking at the baby.

 

Slowly Spike stood and walked towards Dawn who had slid off the sideboard and was now gazing wide eyed at the cradle where the baby slept. “Spike,” she whispered as he approached her, the look in his eyes mirroring hers as they both slowly came to the same realisation.

 

“We’re going to call her Dawn.

 

They heard the words but there was no need. They already knew the truth in their hearts. Buffy and William’s daughter was Dawn.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 33**

“Someone wasn’t worthy.”

_Spike – ‘Becoming Part 1’_

****

 

“Guys?” Buffy shouted after a few minutes of silence from the couple on the other side of the room. “Angel? Cordelia?”

The vampire and seer slowly broke apart, knowing that they had to return to the problem at hand. Reaching down, Angel took hold of Cordelia’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She looked up sharply and met his gaze, her eyes showing her surprise at his action, but also relief that he wasn’t running away from this again, like he had so many times in the past.

 

“Hey!” Buffy’s voice greeted them again, more insistent than before and Angel smiled briefly at Cordy before answering his former love.

“Yeah, Buffy, everything’s ok. We’re fine.”

 

“Good,” the blonde Slayer sighed with some relief. “Now see if you can find a way out of here. That door, or whatever it is, still looks like our best chance.”

Angel guided Cordelia over to the wall and together they ran their hands over every inch of the painting. “Buffy, Angel’s right. There’s nothing here. It’s just a picture of a door. The wall seems as solid here as everywhere else.”

“No. There has to be something,” Buffy insisted. “You’re just not looking properly.”

“Buffy,” Giles said gently, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Slowly he drew her away to one side, excusing them from the others.

 

“Buffy,” Giles began again once they were separated somewhat from the others. “Angel and Cordelia are doing everything they can to find a solution. We are just going to have to try and be patient and give them any assistance they need when they ask for it. I do realise that all of this has been distressing for you but…”

“Giles, my sister is up in that tower. I have to get to her. She needs me.”

“And you need her?”

“Oh don’t get all Watchery and psychological with me now. You have no idea exactly how distressing all of this has been for me. The one good thing that ever happened to me, the one reason I’m glad I was called to be the Slayer was kidnapped by your insane, evil Wizard friend on the orders of two of the most feared vampires of all time. I’m stuck in a game I don’t understand with none of my usual Slayer abilities, which leaves me feeling vulnerable and I’ve just had to watch the man I love die at the hands of another of my lovers. Distressing doesn’t even begin to cover it. This is hell Giles. Darla and Dru finally got their way. We’re trapped in hell.”

 

Turning away from her friends, Buffy missed the stunned look on several of their faces. Willow and Tara shared a sad smile, both wishing that Buffy had had more time to realise her feelings before Spike’s death. Giles closed his eyes trying to force back the pain the sight and knowledge of a heartbroken Buffy caused him. Whatever hurt her, hurt him, and right now his pupil, his Slayer, his daughter was being consumed with loss of a man she probably didn’t even realise she loved. He was certain she hadn’t been conscious of saying it.

 

“Did she just say…?”

“Yes. Look don’t say anything ok. She’s already hurting enough right now.”

Xander turned Anya to face him ready to protest, when he noticed tears running down cheeks. “An? What’s wrong?”

“”I was just thinking. About Spike. About him dying. And how much I’m going to miss him. I mean we were just buying my wedding dress. That’s how all of this started. One minute I was there, with Spike and I was so happy and the next moment I was here. And the next time I saw Spike he…”

“I know,” Xander said softly, gently as Anya began to shake.

“And then I thought about how Buffy must be feeling, and that led me to how I’d feel if it were you and…”

“Shh. Shh. It’s ok,” Xander soothed, holding her tightly against him. “I’m here. I’ll always be here. I’m never letting you go.”

“I love you,” she whispered and he dipped his head to kiss her tenderly in answer.

 

“Don’t say anything to Buffy,” she requested again as he pulled back. “Promise?”

“I don’t know where you got this impression of me as a bigoted ogre,” her fiancée responded, slightly hurt that she would believe he would knowingly hurt one of his best friends.

Anya’s eyebrows rose slightly as a look of disbelief passed fleetingly over her face. “Xander.”

“Alright I don’t like vampires and Spike and I took a great deal of pleasure in taunting each other but…”

“But?”

“He earned his Scooby membership this summer. With Buffy gone. I mean, he’s one of us right? One of the gang. Even if we didn’t get along, I still…”

“You miss him,” Anya deduced with a smile, from her lover’s shaky confession.

“No I don’t, I just…”

 

“Hey, guys!”

Cordelia’s shout broke everyone from their own unhappy thoughts and refocused their attention where it was most needed. “I think I found something.”

“What is it?” Giles called back anxiously.

“Some writing,” Angel called. “I can’t read it. I think it’s… Giles. We’re going to need you’re expertise on this. My Latin is no where near as good as yours.”

“What does it say?”

“Uh.” Angel peered at the inscription in the stone. “Fides, Amor, Benevloentia rego rexi rectum.”

 

“Giles?” Buffy questioned impatiently. “Do you know what that means?”

Giles nodded once to acknowledge that he did. “Faith, Love and Benevolence Guide the Way.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 34**

“Hello cutie.”

_Spike – ‘Becoming Part 2’_

****

 

“Dawn!” Spike called out as the teenager raced past him out of the house and down the street. “Dawn stop!” he shouted from the doorway before sprinting after her. He followed her across town, allowing her to stay ahead of him, hoping she’d run all of the anger and confusion out of her.

 

He didn’t know what to make of all of it himself. A succession of emotions flooded his system, all battling with one another, none actually winning for any reasonable length of time. There was anger certainly. That the Powers had interfered with his life, had given him a daughter without his knowledge and then concealed the truth from all of them. Fear also, that Dawn didn’t seem to be taking this that well and that his relationship with her and her sister could have been damaged by this piece of ‘divine intervention’.

 

Uppermost in his mind at all times however was elation. Dawn, his precious Nibblet, this beautiful, confident, intelligent girl, was his. She was part of him. Something pure and untainted had been created from him.

 

_“What’s your name?”_

_“Spike.”_

_The small brunette giggled._

_“What’s so funny?”_

_“Spike’s a stupid name.”_

_Spike growled. “Run along and hide bite size. Before the nasties get you.”_

_Dawn giggled again. “You’re funny.”_

 

Spike grinned as he remembered his first meeting with Dawn. His smile grew with each passing moment until he was laughing wholeheartedly as memories of her flooded his mind.

 

****

 

Dawn raced down the street, vaguely aware of Spike calling her name as he followed. She knew he'd catch her eventually, he was probably only letting her continue now because he realised she needed some time.

  
He knew her.

  
Spike.

Her friend, her confidant, her brother.

  
Her father?

  
"No!" she shouted aloud, hoping to drown out the voice in her head. "It's not true. This isn't real. None of this is real." She could hear the steady beat of his feet as he pounded along behind her.   
She needed to get away from him.

 

****

 

Ahead of him, Spike saw Dawn change direction and head for one of the cemeteries. His laughter died away and his face became tense, first with worry and then with anger. He watched as she sprinted forward as she entered the gates and ducked quickly out of sight. “Dammit!” Spike swore, finally allowing himself to speed up to find her. “Bloody, buggery hell! Dawn!”

 

He rounded the corner and stopped short as he saw her, kneeling on the ground, pounding at the ground with her fists. He looked around sharply as he experienced a strange feeling of déjà vu. Then he realised which graveyard Dawn had chosen to run to.

 

“She’s not there, sweetheart.”

“Shut up!” the young girl growled as her hands clawed at the ground beneath her.

Spike frowned when he saw her hands were bleeding and stepped forward to pull her away and stop her from hurting herself. “Dawn, stop,” he urged gently, but she refused to be comforted and pushed him away.

“Don’t touch me!” she shouted as she moved away from him. “Leave me alone?”

“Dawn that’s enough!” Spike shouted in frustration and the pair faced each other squarely, eyes flashing.

“Don’t tell me what to do! You’re not my father!”

“Wanna bet?”

“I hate you!” she screamed at him, her face and eyes red from crying.

 

Spike smirked and folded his arms across his chest, clearly unimpressed. “Is that the best you can do? Surely you can come up with something a little more original. We had plenty of practice at this over the summer. I’d hate to think you’d lost your touch. Your mother and I are both so good at it.”

He knew he was being a heartless bastard but he understood that the only way Dawn was going to deal with this was if she worked through it. If she stayed in denial forever, she’d probably drive herself crazy.

 

“She is not my mother. Buffy is not my mother. Don’t say that. Don’t ever say that. It’s not true,” Dawn snarled through clenched teeth. “My mom’s dead. And you’re not taking any more of her away from me.”

Spike sighed and felt his own anger leave him as he watched her body heave as continued sobs escaped her. “No one wants to take your mum away from you Nibblet,” Spike said stepping forward and making sure she wasn’t going to run before raising a hand to gently stroke her hair. “Of course Joyce was your mum, for all the important things. And Buffy’s your annoying older sister, and I’m you’re loveable older brother. And we’re here to make sure nothing ever hurts you.”

 

Relaxing somewhat at his words, Dawn leant against him and rested her head against his chest, her arms clasped firmly about his waist. His arms came up to encircle her and they stood like that for a long time, both lost in their own thoughts.

 

 

 

**Chapter 35**

“You’re hair is fine!”

_Willow – ‘Anne’_

****

 

“Faith, love and benevolence?” Buffy echoed Giles, hoping that one of them would suddenly have some form of epiphany and find the way out of the room. She looked at Willow, who shrugged regretfully, biting her lip as she held Tara’s hand. With a slight groan she turned back to her Watchers who were talking quietly together. “Does it mean we have to have faith and love, or that we have to show them?”

 

Both men shook their heads. “We don’t know Buffy,” Giles told her, battling to remain calm for all their sakes. “Maybe it’s an act of faith.”

“Like what?” Xander asked as the others drew closer, forming a small circle around Giles and Wesley.

“I really have no idea, Giles answered, removing his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. “It could be as simple as actually believing the door to be real. Willing it into existence as it were. Or it could be a task we have to perform. At this point your guess is as good as mine.”

“I highly doubt that,” Xander joked, making both Anya and Giles smile slightly for which he was extremely grateful.

 

“Is there any more writing over there guys?” Buffy shouted across the room to her friends who replied that there wasn’t anything else besides the picture of the door and the one small inscription. “This is going to take forever.”

 

Faith listened to the whole exchange in silence, a tiny thought nagging at the back of her mind. “Maybe it’s really an act of Faith,” she said finally, breaking the silence.

“I just said…”

“No Giles not faith. Faith. Me.

 

****

  
“Do you think they’re having any luck?” Cordelia asked, sitting down on the ground, her back to the door painted on the wall.

“No,” Angel told her, his vampiric hearing easily making out what was being discussed on the other side of the room.

“Well as we’re stuck here for a little while, or a long while I suppose, what do you want to do?”

Angel smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his embrace. Cordy sighed feeling strangely at peace with what was happening and laid her head against Angel’s shoulder, her arms around his waist.

 

“I’m not in love with her anymore,” the vampire suddenly announced and Cordelia jerked away from him involuntarily at the unexpected statement.

“What?”

“I mean, I know that somewhere, somehow, she touched a part of me I had buried so deep even before I became a vampire, that I barely even remembered it. And having it back, having her there was like heaven. After all that time in the dark I was in the light, and there was so much light and love and happiness. And it almost destroyed the world.”

 

Cordelia watched Angel, listening intently to his words but afraid to move for fear that he might stop and not tell her why he had started.

 

“I can’t see you and me ending the world Cor,” he said with a smile as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. It took her a moment to realise what he had said and her furious reaction therefore came as an even bigger surprise to him.

“What?!”

“Huh?” Angel’s head snapped forward, his eyes locking with hers as the former cheerleader stared him down angrily.

“So what you’re saying is, you don’t care enough about me for our relationship to cause an apocalypse.”

“No…”

“Whatever you had with Buffy was sooooo much more intense than anything you feel for me, so we obviously don’t have to worry about Angelus and his Armageddon fetish.”

 

“Cordelia, will you shut up and listen to me?”

The seer’s eyes flashed and she tossed her hair crossly as she slumped back against the wall away from him. Angel sighed. “I did not mean any of that,” he told her sincerely, willing her to listen to him. “I meant that Buffy and I almost destroyed each other and the world. Proof if any more were needed that we were just not meant to be together. It won’t be like that for you and me. Because we are supposed to be together Cor. And nothing bad could ever come from that. This is the way it’s meant to be.”

 

Cordelia looked down at the ground, a little embarrassed that she had automatically thought the worst. “So you really don’t love Buffy anymore?”

“I’ll always love her,” Angel corrected, “but I’m, not ‘in love’ with her.”

“And you’re…I mean are you in love with…?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Can you say that again please?”

“I’m in love with you Cordelia.”

Cordy smiled. “Yeah that’s what I thought you said.” With that she threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers for a kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 36**

“‘ _Do you like my mask? Isn’t it pretty? It raises the dead.’_ Americans!”

_Giles – ‘Dead Man’s Party’_

****

 

“Why are we here again?” Dawn mumbled into the front of Spike’s leather duster as she sat nestled in his lap in the middle of the cemetery.

“Dammed if I know,” Spike replied softly, as though scared to break the night’s silence.

“Dammed anyway,” Dawn reminded him helpfully. “Vampire.”

“Half vampire.”

Dawn raised her head to look at him. “Hey. You’re right. I must have some really great power buried inside me.”

“Dawn…”

“I mean Key, Slayer and vampire. I could probably kick some serious demon a…”

“Dawn!”

“Ooo, sorry dad,” Dawn laughed, her eyes sparkling.

“Stop teasing me you little devil,” Spike laughed back as she relaxed against him once again.

 

“They said I had to fulfil my destiny,” the brunette explained, returning to her earlier question.

It took Spike a moment to realise what she meant. “And I have to complete some sort of task.”

“To find out who we are?”

“Yeah.”

“I know who I am.”

“And who are you?”

“I’m Dawn. Key, Slayer and Vampire. Daughter of Joyce. And of Buffy… And Spike.”

Spike grinned proudly at his girl. “Yes you are sweet thing.”

“And I am meant to be here. My destiny.” She smiled at him. “So, uh, if I’m all that… who are you?”

 

“I am Spike, William the Bloody,” the vampire announced, tilting his chin and straightening up, proudly. “Slayer of Slay…”

Dawn rolled her eyes and interrupted. “Yes but, who are you?”

“You’re starting to sound like them now.”

“Hey, the pushy and annoying genes come from my parents.”

“It’s not very nice to talk about Buffy like that.”

“Spike!”

“Look I’m just…” Spike sighed and shook his head. “I’m the same as I’ve always been. I’ve spent a hundred and twenty years trying to get as far away from William as possible but there he is. Living with your sister.”

“But you’re not…”

“Dawn I’m not stupid. William is there because that’s what she makes me. That’s what you make me. The man and not the monster. And I think the purpose of this little visit was to help me accept that. I’ve been moping around for so long now. I’ve lost all sense of who I am. But now I can see that I have both inside me. Whatever happens in the future is my choice.”

Dawn hugged him tightly. “I knew that,” she whispered in his ear and he closed his eyes, squeezing her back as tightly as he could without breaking any of her bones.

 

****

 

“Huh?”

Faith’s lips twitched as Buffy stared at her in confusion, but she sobered when she realised Wesley was watching her intently. Her eyes remained locked with her former Watcher’s even as she addressed her sister Slayer.

“Look this is a game. Some sick and twisted plot set up by Darla and Drusilla and Ethan Rayne. All of whom have some kind of grudge against you. But not against me. I never met any of them before this thing started. So why am I here? I’m not part of the gang. I never have been.”

Giles tilted his head slightly to the side as he considered this. “So you think that you’re here as part of the challenge, rather than one of the team?”

“They gave me to the winner of the second task.”

“So you were obviously needed by whoever progressed through to this task.”

“Exactly.”

 

To Giles the whole thing seemed perfectly reasonable. Buffy however took a little more persuading. “I don’t mean to rain on your objective reasoning parade,” she said, looking back and forth between her Watcher and the younger Slayer. “But even if that’s true, how is Faith supposed to open a door that is painted on the wall? And where does the love and benevolence come in?”

 

The brunette shrugged. “Maybe I just have to stroll on over and take a look.” She walked confidently toward the beam and turned back to Buffy with a determined smile. The blonde Slayer nodded at her once and the animosity that had existed between them for the past two years seemed to disappear in that instant. In the time between their last meeting and this one, they had both had to do a lot of growing up. Each saw in the other a part of themselves and the absence of the last traces in innocence. Both had been through enough to scare away hell’s fiercest hounds and both had things to regret. But none of that mattered now. She slate was wiped clean for both and them and they started anew.

 

Faith turned back towards the bridge, peering into the darkness to try and make out Angel and Cordelia on the other side. She raised her right foot and stepped onto the bridge.

 

And fell into nothing.

 

 

**Chapter 37**

“Isn’t it weird how slaying always makes you hungry and horny?”

 

“Well, sometimes I crave a non-fat yoghurt afterwards.”

_Faith and Buffy – ‘Faith, Hope and Trick’_

****

 

Wesley couldn’t say what it was that made him race towards his Slayer as she prepared to step onto the wooden beam. All he knew was that the minute she raised her foot, she was going to be falling down into that endless cavern. As she stepped unknowingly off the ledge, her startled scream pierced the air and the others all jumped in surprise. Wesley however was already halfway to her and jumped forward, reaching out with his arms to try and catch her.

 

His right hand closed around Faith’s left wrist, the force of her weight dragging him across the floor to the edge of the their steady platform. “Faith!”

Xander and Tara immediately followed the Watcher, Xander catching hold of Wesley’s legs to stop him following Faith into the abyss, Tara running forward to try to reach Faith herself. Wesley was lying bent in half over the ledge, the top half of his body fully extended as he reached down for his Slayer and Tara saw that she wouldn’t be able to reach Faith, even if she did the same.

 

“Wesley!” Faith’s voice was panicked, breathless. Her eyes met his as she struggled to hold on, her legs kicking the air beneath her. The tone of her voice made him tighten his grip. She sounded helpless, so unlike her usual vibrant, sarcastic self. A part of him he usually stamped down to the very depths of his being awakened and forced it’s way forward. He wanted to help her, protect her. He wanted to save her.

 

“It’s alright,” he told her calmly, moving his other arm so that he was holding her more securely. “Just hang on.”

“Why do people always say that?” Faith quipped, with an ironic quirk to her lips. “Do you really think I’m just going to let go?”

Wesley smiled a little. A thought flittered unbidden through his mind. ‘That’s my girl.’ His smile disappeared. ‘What? No. Wait.’

“Don’t get the wrong idea about this,” he told her, with an air of superiority that made her grin despite their precarious situation. “I haven’t forgiven you or anything.”

“Thought never entered my mind.”

 

“Wes!” Xander shouted from somewhere behind him, “We’re going to try pulling you up, ok?”

“Ok!”

“Wesley!” Faith shrieked as her hands slipped against his shirt. Wesley clutched her arms tighter and tried to mask his own fear as he tried to reassure her.

“It’s ok. It’s ok. I’ve got you. It’ll only be another minute. Xander hurry up!”

“I’m sorry,” Faith said drawing the former Watcher’s attention back to her immediately. The words were spoken quietly, so only he could hear. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you.”

“Stop that! You can beg for forgiveness all you want when you’re back up on solid ground but there will be no emotional scenes, no matter how heartfelt when you are dangling precariously over a cliff. You’re the Slayer for God’s sake. Act like it. Xander what the hell are you doing?!”

 

Faith’s eyes glittered dangerously. “How dare you! I know I’ve done some pretty awful things but I’m truly sorry for them. Excuse me for wanting to apologise before I died.”

“You’re not going to die damn it. Unless your inane prattling becomes too much and I drop you.”

“You are such a supercilious bastard! This is why I’ve never had a conversation with you.”

“Oh? I thought it was because you were a smart mouthed bitch.”

“Well gee Wes. Thanks for making me feel good in my last few minutes on Earth.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of the sound of your own voice?”

 

“Um, don’t you want you want to tell them they’re safe now?” Willow murmured under her breath to Xander, as they watched the Slayer and her Watcher continue to bicker, seemingly unaware that they were now kneeling on solid ground, hands still clinging to each other’s arms as they faced one another.

“Are you kidding? They’re almost as much fun to watch as…” Xander stopped and frowned. Willow winced as she realised what her friend had been about to say and why he had stopped.

“As you and Anya?” she teased gently, hoping to lighten the moment. They shared a smile.

“Hey, that’s not for your entertainment missy. That’s serious. And damn scary.”

An impatient cough drifted across the room and Wesley and Faith pulled back from each other sharply, both blushing as they realised they’d been rescued without even noticing, as they immersed themselves in arguing with one another. They turned to find Buffy and the other Scoobies watching them, the blonde Slayer watching them with a mixture of amusement and pain, her arms folded across her chest.

 

“So,” she began when she finally had everyone’s attention. “What now?”


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 38**

“You know that thing where you bail in the middle of an upsetting conversation? I have to do that.”

 _Oz – ‘Beauty & the Beasts’_  
****

 

Spike and Dawn walked silently through the streets of Sunnydale together, comfortable in their silence, her arm linked with his. They made their way slowly back towards the Summers’ house, both heading instinctively in that direction without either saying a word. Spike was eager to see baby Dawn again and deep down, the teenage version beside him wanted to see the happy family they made once more. She wanted to see the way things should be.

 

She couldn’t wait to tell Buffy.

 

The thought made her stop and Spike was pulled back a step. He turned to look at her quizzically. “What’s wrong pigeon?”

“Buffy.”

“What about her?”

“What are we going to tell her?”

The vampire continued to watch her, turning the question over in his mind. To be honest he hadn’t thought about explaining this to his Slayer. His mind had been too busy jumping ahead to that time Buffy had mentioned a couple of days ago, when she would be with him and they would be together with Dawn as a family.

 

Would she be happy? Scared? Angry? Confused? Probably, he acknowledged as those same feelings continued to churn inside him. He didn’t doubt she would be overjoyed to discover that Dawn was truly her daughter. She might be a little less than pleased however that he had been chosen as the father. That of course brought to mind a whole new set of questions he really wasn’t ready to deal with.

 

“I think we should wait ‘til we’ve finished this stupid game,” Dawn interrupted his thoughts, her voice strong and decisive. “That way we can explain everything to her properly. It’s going to be hard enough trying to explain why you’re not a big pile of dust.”

Spike smiled at Dawn, grateful that he wasn’t going to be faced with the challenge of giving the Slayer such Earth shattering news the second he saw her again. Or alone, if the amount of ‘we’s’ Dawn was throwing out was anything to go by. He nodded, letting her know he agreed with her decision and they continued on along Revello Drive.

 

They arrived at the house moments later, neither knowing whether to enter again. Peering cautiously through the window Dawn gasped, a need she hadn’t realised she was repressing surging through her. Spike was beside her immediately, his eyes searching for the cause of her surprise.

“It’s not in there,” she told him knowingly, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “It’s in here.” She placed her other hand over her chest. Spike frowned at her and turned back to the scene inside the house, confused.

 

Buffy lay curled up next to William on the couch, her arm lying possessively around his waist as she slept. Her hair was slightly mussed, her lips slightly parted. She looked peaceful and content. Baby Dawn was also asleep, lying on her front on her father’s chest, her head turned to face her mother. William was watching them both sleep, a look of pure love and blissful wonder on his face, as he cradled both mother and baby in his arms.

 

Spike felt the same force that Dawn had felt slam into him. He grasped at his daughter’s hand and squeezed in tightly in his. “You’re mine Dawn,” he growled at her. “You and Buffy. You’re mine.”

This time Dawn had no desire to run. She looked up at her father with clear, understanding eyes. “Yours,” she agreed just as fiercely. “Always.”

 

****

 

Ethan paced the length of the small tower room, stopped and glanced at Dawn who remained unmoving on the bed. After repeating these actions a few more times he returned to her side and tried for what seemed like the hundredth time, to shake her into consciousness. “Dawn!” he shouted. “Wake up!”

 

The young girl jerked suddenly upright, causing Ethan to stagger back a couple of paces. Dawn was sweating, panting fiercely as she fought to adjust to the shock of being so quickly forced back to reality. “Spike,” she whimpered as she looked around the small room. “Spike.”

 

“He’s not here Dawn,” Ethan told her, finally able to relax. He set the chair he had knocked over upright again and sat down. “I’m afraid Spike’s dead Dawn.”

The teenager turned to face him sharply, collecting herself. “How long have I been gone?”

Her captor frowned at her choice of words but answered, “About three hours.”

Dawn jumped off the bed and strode to the door, yanking on the handle. It didn’t move. “So much for Slayer strength,” she muttered to herself and turned back to Ethan. “Let me out.”

 

He smiled cruelly. “Oh yes. Of course. I’ll just open the door shall I? Even if I wanted to I couldn’t. It’s magically locked. The only way in is by activating the trigger.”

“What trigger?”

 

****

 

“What now?”

 

Buffy looked at her friends, each of them staring at her with varying amounts of concern. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to calm down. Concentrate. She was the Slayer. She wasn’t helpless. Her Slayer strengths didn’t make her who she was and she could do this without them. She wasn’t about power. She was about love. Apparently. According to that spirit guide. She was full of love. Her eyes snapped open.

 

“Love,” she said, receiving a few confused looks from the Scoobies in return. She turned to Giles. “I’m love.”

She saw the understanding blossom in his eyes and he nodded. “But what about the bridge?”

They turned back towards the spot where the makeshift bridge had been and were surprised to see that it had returned. “What the…?”

 

“Guys?” Cordelia shouted from the other side of the room. “Hate to interrupt but I thought you’d like to know that the door… It’s real now.”

“What?” Buffy shouted back, rubbing a hand over her face.

“It’s locked,” Angel answered, pulling on the metal handle with his full strength. “But it’s real now. Wood and metal.”

 

“Oh, what the hell is going on?” Xander exclaimed, turning to Giles for an answer. The others similarly looked to Giles for the explanation.

The Watcher groaned and removed his glasses, rubbing them thoughtfully with the corner of his coat. “You could have been a grocer, but no. Had to carry on the family traditions didn’t you? Idiot,” he berated himself under his breath. No one spoke for a while as he considered everything that had happened.

 

****

 

Wesley had remained close to Faith after they had been pulled back from the cliff edge. He had, rather clinically, checked her over for injuries, but nothing too serious seemed to have occurred. Once he had assured himself she was ok, he turned his attention back to Buffy, Giles and the others, glancing now and then at his Slayer who stood quietly to one side. As Giles took some time to consider what had happened, Wesley turned back to contemplate Faith.

 

He didn’t know what to think of her anymore. She wasn’t the same reckless teenager he had known two years ago. He wanted to be so angry with her. To hate her for what she had done, not only to him, but also to those he cared about. Looking down at her now however, as she stood there, proud but reserved, in that long flowing gown, her dark hair tied back at the base of her slender throat, which was adorned with a silver chain and key, he couldn’t help but…

 

“Key,” he exclaimed, pointing towards Faith’s necklace. “Where did you get that?”

Everyone turned to look at the Slayer who raised her hand to her neck, tilting her head back slightly so that she could see what Wesley was gesturing at.

“I didn’t get it anywhere. I think I would have noticed a large key tied around my neck before now.”

 

“‘Faith, Love and Benevolence Guide the Way,’” Giles announced, dragging everyone’s attention back to him. “I think I understand. I’ll try to explain. It’s the only way…” he trailed off without elaborating and everyone squirmed impatiently. Finally, Anya’s exasperated sigh dragged his mind back to the present. “Faith attempted to cross the bridge…”

“And failed,” the brunette reminded him, still fingering the key around her neck. Giles continued as though she hadn’t spoken.

“And she was saved by Wesley.”

“Which was rather benevolent of me,” the younger Watcher murmured, as he realised what Giles was thinking. He placed a comforting hand on Faith’s shoulder. “Benevolent, as in…”

“I know what it means,” Faith snapped back, but softened the words with a shy smile.

 

“That act caused the door to appear. Now Faith has the key and…”

“And love is going to open the door,” Buffy finished, holding out her hand to Faith. The younger Slayer unhooked the chain from her neck and placed the silver key onto Buffy’s palm. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

 

“Buffy wait,” Willow said, stepping forward and blocking her best friend’s path. “What if the bridge disappears again?”

Buffy shrugged, and smiled ruefully at her friend. “There’s only one way to find out.”

She walked towards the narrow plank of wood, flanked on either side by Xander and Tara. “J, just in case,” the blonde Witch stuttered nervously and Buffy nodded reassuringly.

“I’m sure everything will be fine.” She took a deep breath and holding the key firmly in her fist, she stepped onto the bridge.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 39**

“We have to find Buffy. Something terrible’s happened. Just kidding. Thought I’d give you a scare.”

 ** _Giles – ‘Homecoming’_**  
****

 

She was halfway across when she felt it. She stopped as the dizziness overcame her, and the room fell out of focus, leaving her trapped. She didn’t dare to move. Her mouth opened automatically to call out to Giles or Angel for help, but that fog that had descended in her mind was too thick and she couldn’t form the words.

 

_Buffy_

 

That voice she loved, his voice, echoed within her.

 

_Buffy_

 

She wanted to call for him, to reach out to him. But the words refused to come.

 

 _Spike_ her mind cried out instead. _Spike, help me_

 

“It’s alright baby, I’ve got you.”

 

The words sounded so close, as though he were whispering them in her ear. She relaxed slightly, feeling his presence nearby, trusting that he would protect her.

 

“Do you trust me Buffy?”

 

 _With my life_ she thought, realising for the first time that she meant it. She had trusted Spike with the one thing she loved most in the world. The one thing she would die for; had died for. Dawn. She hated the thought that she would never be able to tell him, to thank him for everything he had done, to tell him she l…

 

“Move forward slowly. I’ll guide you. One step at a time sweetheart, that’s right. Good girl. We’re almost there. I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

She wanted to sob at the injustice of it all. Why was he allowed to haunt her waking thoughts, but not stand there with her in person?

 

“Buffy? Buffy?” She heard Angel’s voice now, telling her she was safe, that she could open her eyes. But she kept them closed. If she stayed still just a few more moments she’d be able to feel him with her. She could feel him in front of her; practically see the _expression on his face as he watched her make a fool of herself. She smiled as she felt his hands on her waist, steadying her trying to gently shake her back to consciousness.

 

“Spike.”

“Buffy?”

 

****

 

The first thing Spike saw when he opened his eyes was Buffy.

 

It disoriented him for a moment, suddenly finding himself standing on a ledge at one end of the main hall of an old castle. One moment he had been standing with Dawn on the Summers’ front porch, the next he was back playing Darla and Drusilla’s twisted game. He realised that Dawn was no longer with him almost immediately, his vampiric senses easily identifying the Scoobies around him. His eyes however, remained trained on his Slayer, who was slowly edging her way along a beam that bridged the two sides of the room.

 

“Spike?” The voice broke as it called his name and he reluctantly dragged his gaze from Buffy, to find Willow watching him warily, her eyes tired and disbelieving.

“Will? You ok?” The vampire immediately found himself surrounded by three clinging feminine forms as Willow, Tara and Anya all rushed at him simultaneously.

 

“Spike! Oh, thank God you’re alright. We thought you were dead.”

“You turned to dust. What happened? What’s going on?”

“Are you hurt? Are you ok? Where have you been?”

 

The panic he felt at this barrage of affection must have shown through on his face, as Xander, rather kindly, took pity on him. “Hey girls. Back off ok? Give the vampire a little space to… do whatever vampires do. In the strictly non-eating people way of course.”

Spike met his look and gave a small nod of gratitude as the two Witches and former demon stepped back slightly. “’S good to know you all missed me.”

“Missed you? Hey buster, you died! In the middle of grieving for you here,” Willow smirked, only half joking. Her eyes flicked past him to where Buffy stood in the centre of the beam. “Some of us more than others.”

 

Spike followed her gaze and one eyebrow quirked in surprise. “Didn’t know she cared.”

“Yes you did,” the redhead answered him quietly. “You know she’s…” She stopped and frowned, her eyes fixed squarely on Buffy. “Spike.”

The vampire’s entire being was focused on his Slayer. She had stopped at the middle of the wooden bridge and was swaying dangerously where she stood. Without a second thought Spike stepped onto the beam, ignoring the startled shouts of Willow, Giles and Wesley. He moved along the makeshift bridge as quickly as he could

 

As he approached, he could feel the tension and panic mounting in her body. He willed her to calm down, hoping she would recognise him as a comforting force. As he took one final step towards her, he heard his name being called. Buffy’s voice, calling for him, resonated throughout his entire being. “Spike,” he heard her murmur again, almost inaudibly.

 

“It’s alright baby, I’ve got you.”

 

****

 

Her eyes snapped open and she stared at the man before her in shock.

 

He was there. Spike was there, standing in front of her just as she’d imagined. His head was tilted to one side and his _expression was half worried, half amused.

“Happy to see me then love?”

In answer Buffy threw herself into his arms, holding him as tight as she could, as her hands searched his body, trying to prove that he was real and actually standing there.

“Take that as a yes, shall I?” he joked, but his face and voice held nothing but pure contentment. He was alive and Buffy was safe in his arms. Nothing else in the world mattered.

 

“Spike! Oh God, thank you, thank you,” Buffy whispered over and over, her face buried in his neck, finally letting go the emotions that built within her since his disappearance. He held her as she shook, silent tears of relief and happiness running down her face. “If you ever scare me like that again, I’m going to kill you,” she murmured, making him smile.

“I’m never leaving you again baby.”

“Where were you?”

“Long story,” he sighed, drawing a raised eyebrow from the Slayer. Not really wanting to answer any questions about his little voyage of discovery just then, he continued, “I saw Dawn though.”

Buffy’s mind instantly cleared of everything except Dawn. “What? Is she ok? Where was she? Are you sure it was her?”

“She was fine, she was with me and yes I’m sure it was her. She must have been sent back the same time I was. She’ll be up there. Waiting for us.”

“Got back from where?”

 

“Ahem,” Cordelia interrupted non-too subtly. “Do you think you could continue this later? Some of us want to get home.”

“Fine,” Buffy agreed. “But don’t think we won’t do this later mister. I want to know where you were and what you were doing,” she assured him, jabbing her finger at his chest. Then, with a genuinely happy smile, she made her way past her friends, to the door. “This had better work.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 40** _  
_

“You guys are just wigging me out!”

_Buffy – ‘Band Candy’_

****

 

“I hope this works,” Faith murmured to herself as the Scoobies gathered around Giles, talking animatedly about Spike’s return.

“It will,” Wesley answered her softly, and she noticed for the first time how close he was standing to her. She raised her head and glared at him.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to eavesdrop?”

The Englishman bristled at her harsh tone. “Sorry for wanting to make you feel better. I’ll just leave you to your nervous breakdown shall I?”

 

He turned away and Faith automatically put out her hand to stop him, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to face her. “Wait! I’m sorry. Just a little jumpy is all.”

Wesley’s face softened as he watched her. She was biting her bottom lip nervously, her attention fixed squarely on her shoes. “It’s ok.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you. For saving me.”

“Yes well,” the former Watcher said, tilting his chin and affecting his most pompous voice. “All in a days work for Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Demon Hunter.”

 

Faith snorted, trying and failing to control her laughter. “What?”

Wesley dropped the arrogant manner and his eyes twinkled as he shushed her. “For God’s sake, not too loud. I’ll never hear the end of it, if Cordelia hears.”

“You? A demon hunter?

“For a while yes.”

“What, did you wear a lot of leather and drive a motorcycle?”

“How did you…?”

The Slayer’s eyes grew huge. “Oh my God!”

“It’s not that funny.”

“It is if you’re me.”

 

They stood smiling at each other for a moment, happily sharing something besides the pain and violence that had gone before. A shout from the other sound of the room made them both turn.

“Come on B. Get us out of here.”

 

****

 

“Dammit!”

“Buffy?” Spike was immediately beside her. “What’s wrong?”

“It won’t open.”

“What?”

“The key won’t turn,” Buffy explained, frantically twisting the key back and forwards. “It won’t open. How are we going to get to Dawn if it won’t open?”

Spike placed his hands on her shoulders and gently eased her away from the door. “Angel,” he said curtly, his eyes still trained on Buffy. The elder vampire stepped towards the door and continued to work on opening it.

 

“Spike…”

“Calm down sweetheart. You’re going to make yourself ill.”

Buffy gave a shout of near hysterical laughter and then clamped her hand over her mouth with a sob. “Buffy?”

“Make myself ill? Are you insane? Do you know what I’ve been through? I lost you and I couldn’t get to Dawn. And every step forward I took just seemed to take me further and further away from where I wanted to be, with the people I love…” Spike inhaled sharply but Buffy didn’t notice as she continued. “And then you come back and that’s so amazing and miraculous and I feel almost complete again. But I want Dawn back. I need her. It may sound weird but, every second I’m away from her there is this physical ache inside me. And it just keeps growing and growing and threatening to devour me.”

“It doesn’t sound weird,” he told her softly, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. “I feel the same way. About both of you.”

 

She looked up into his eyes and for the first time allowed him to see exactly what she was feeling. For a moment he was stunned by the intensity of the emotion he saw there. Anger, fear, hurt, confusion, relief… And there in amongst all the pain and worry about Dawn he saw something that was directed solely at him. Something so simple and so pure she probably didn’t even realise what it was. But it was there and it gave him hope.

 

“Buffy.” Angel’s voice interrupted them and they turned sharply to him. “Door’s open.”

 

****

 

The locks on the tower door creaked open one at a time.

 

Dawn’s face held a look of triumph as she turned to face turned to face Ethan, while his _expression became more desperate. She started towards the door, but Ethan reached it first, pushing Dawn backwards towards the bed. Her foot caught on the bottom of her dress and she tripped, hitting her head on the ground.

 

Ethan barely noticed as he scrambled to get the door open, hoping to be able tot get away before Buffy reached them. He hurried down the spiral staircase and stopped on the first small landing he came to, hoping that the door was open.

 

****

 

Buffy raced up the stairs, Spike and Angel just a few steps behind her. Her entire being was focused on getting to Dawn as quickly as possible. Adrenaline surged through her veins as she climbed higher and higher inside the tower.

 

As they neared the top of the tower Spike stopped allowing Buffy to continue up to where he could feel Dawn was waiting. Angel stopped next to him, his _expression questioning as he watched his Childe. “What’s wrong?”

“Rayne.”

Angel sniffed the air around them as they followed the man’s scent to one of the doors that led off to the left. Spike threw the door open, revealing a long corridor with several doors and halls leading off from it.

“Split up?”

“Shout if you find anything interesting Grandpapa. Don’t want you having too much fun all by yourself.”

 

“Spike!” Buffy’s scream stopped them in their tracks.

The two vampires glanced at one another and Angel nodded. “Go. I’ll find him.”

 

 

 

**Chapter 41**

“Get some, get gone.”

_Faith – ‘Revelations’_

****

 

Angel quickly picked up Ethan’s scent and followed its trail through the corridors of the castle. He could tell the man was frightened, fear emanating from him in waves. The vampire slipped into game face allowing his demon a little more freedom as he hunted. Deep inside he could never escape the memory of the hunt, the feelings that stalking his prey would invoke. They had been intoxicating.

 

“Ethan… Come out, come out wherever you are!” he sing-songed as the trail led him around one final corner onto a corridor with only three doors. He smiled cruelly as he stepped towards the door on the left. “Look, you can give yourself up to me now, or I can come in, kill you and… well no, I guess there wouldn’t be anything after that.”

 

He rattled the handle of the door and pushed it open, immediately spinning round to pin the other man to the wall. “Tut, tut, tut,” he admonished, shaking his head, his eyes flashing yellow as Ethan struggled against him. “If you want to hide from a vampire you should really try to calm down. We can smell the desperation a mile away. Of course, I’d still be able to hear your heart beating and your blood pumping. It’s roaring now. You’re heart’s slowing, but that may have something to do with me cutting off your oxygen supply. Don’t worry though. I know exactly the last moment you need to take a breath before you die. Can’t promise you won’t have permanent brain damage but that’s the risk we take.”

 

Ethan gripped Angel’s hands, trying to keep the Master vampire from strangling him. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times and Angel moved closer, tilting his head as though trying to hear. “What? Sorry you’ll have to speak up. Not as young as I used to be.” He squeezed a little tighter and then released the man who collapsed back against the wall, sucking in deep breaths of air.

“You can’t kill me,” he croaked eventually, his voice thin and raspy due to the pressure on his throat.

“And why is that?” Angel growled.

“You can’t get home without me.” He smirked a little at the look of rage on the vampire’s face, but it was soon replaced with a look of fear as he was hauled upright again and Angel’s fangs settled over his neck. “The first group to reach Dawn wins, so when we get to Dawn, we’ll all get home. Buffy’s up there with her right now.”

“Then Buffy won and she and Dawn are on their way home as promised.”

Angel drew back to stare Ethan in the eye. “What?”

 

“I’m sorry, I thought I’d made it clear,” Ethan explained, feeing more in control. He pushed Angel away from him slightly. “Whoever gets to Dawn first wins. If Buffy got there first, alone, then only she will be transported home with Dawn.”

“And the rest of us…?”

“Can’t get home without me. Quite.”

Unable to stop himself, Angel attacked, knocking the man to the ground. Following him down, he delivered a succession of blows to Ethan’s face, unleashing all of his anger and frustration. Raising his fist to strike once more, he sensed a presence behind him and turned to see Cordelia standing a few steps away, watching the scene impassively.

 

Immediately Angel stopped and stood, moving closer to her. “Cor, I…”

“Don’t,” she said sharply. “Just don’t say anything. You can’t kill him.”

The vampire hung his head in shame, closing his eyes to Cordelia’s disgust. Ethan had dragged himself to his feet and shuffled closer to the young woman. “Thank you. He was going to kill me, I…”

Cordelia ignored him, her words cutting off his thanks, as her eyes remained fixed on Angel. “You can’t kill him, because Spike and Giles will probably want to hurt him a bit first.” The vampire’s eyes shot to hers and he realised that her hatred was not directed at him, but at the man standing next to them.

 

Taking Angel’s hand she turned to face Ethan. “We’re all going back to the tower. If you try anything at all on the way, I will let him kill you.” She gestured for him to walk ahead of them and they quickly made their way back to Dawn’s room.

 

****

 

Cordelia was the first to reach the tower. She stumbled through the doorway to find Spike standing beside the bed, looking defeated. “Spike?” Wesley and Faith arrived seconds later, their faces bright from the effort of climbing the tower. Catching sight of Spike and Cordy, they moved further inside looking for Buffy and Dawn. “Spike? Where are Buffy and Dawn?” Wesley asked, a confused frown on his face as he questioned the vampire.

 

The blonde vampire looked up and shook his head, unable to answer Wesley’s question. Cordelia stepped closer to him and haltingly touched his sleeve. “Spike?” she asked softly, “What happened?”

“They uh… Buffy came up to get Dawn but Angel and I… we stopped. And then she shouted, so I ran… but when I got here, they just uh… they vanished.” No one made a sound as they all took in what had happened and tried to make some sense of it.

“Where is Angel?” Cordelia asked suddenly, realising he was also missing.

“Ethan. He went to find Ethan!” Spike immediately started for the door but Wesley intercepted him.

“We’re going to need him alive if we’re going to find Buffy and Dawn. Cordelia, go and find Angel.”

 

Wesley and Faith shared a worried look as Spike began to growl unconsciously, his anger eventually overcoming his shock. “Spike?” The vampire stalked across the room and snatched up a china vase from the dressing table. Both humans flinched as a china vase shattered against the wall.

“Spike!”

“I feel better.”

 

****

 

When Angel and Cordelia arrived back in the tower, they found the rest of the Scoobies waiting near the bed, where Wesley and Faith were perched, watching Spike pace. Upon seeing Ethan the blonde vampire let out a feral snarl and launched himself at the man. Angel smirked and stepped closer to the door ensuring there could be no escape.

 

Realising that Spike was ready to kill the man, Xander stepped forward and grabbed his arm. “Spike! Forget it. He’s not worth it!” His hand was shaken off roughly and he found himself face to face with the furious demon. Instead of backing down, Xander raised his chin. “I realise hitting me may make you feel better and if that’s what you need right now go ahead; we’re all out of china,” he said, looking pointedly at the piles of broken vases and ornaments that lay around the room. “If we want Buffy and Dawn back, we need the guy alive.”

 

For a moment Xander thought Spike would actually punch him. They continued to hold one another’s gaze, neither one backing down. A smile caught at the corner of Spike’s mouth and his lips twitched. “I’ll take a rain-check on that thanks Harris.”

Xander shared his grin. “Anytime.”

“I still don’t like you.” Spike repeated Xander words from a few days earlier.

“And the feeling is more than mutual.”

 

“As thrilling as this is,” Ethan broke in, causing everyone to turn, disbelieving, in his direction, “I rather thought you wanted to get home.”

“Where are Buffy and Dawn?” Willow asked coldly and Ethan felt a frisson of fear. Suddenly he was immensely pleased he had prevented the young Witch from using magic while inside the game.

“At home, or at least, they should be. In L.A I should think. Somewhere safe.” The Scoobies continued to stare at him. “Buffy won the game. She reached Dawn first.”

“It was the team that reaches Dawn first,” Anya pointed out, but Ethan shook his head.

“She disbanded the teams. I took that to mean ‘everyone for himself’.”

This time Giles and Faith stepped when Spike did, but all three were restrained.

 

“Ethan, you will send us back now,” Giles demanded in a voice that none of the others had ever heard him use before. Spike and Angel shared an amused glance, impressed. “Whatever you have to say or do to get us home, you will do. Or you won’t have to worry about Spike and Angel ripping you pieces. I’ll do it myself.”

 

“Now, now, Ripper,” Ethan teased, looking uncomfortable. “Not in front of the children.”

“Ethan!”

“We’ll have to go downstairs,” he explained, backing down when he saw the dangerous light in Giles’ eyes. “There’s a crystal. I don’t have it with me.”

“We better get moving then.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 42**

“Love isn’t brains children, it’s blood. Blood screaming inside you to work it’s will.”

_Spike – ‘Lover’s Walk’_

****

 

“Ripper, I have to say I’m impressed. Showing such restraint in front of the children,” Ethan said, turning to his old friend when they were finally alone. The crystal lay inside a chalk circle on the stone floor waiting for the two men. Spike had insisted on going ahead alone to find Buffy, and was closely followed by the others. Giles stayed close to Ethan for the duration of the ritual to make sure the man kept his promise.

 

The Watcher smiled menacingly. “Yes. But the children aren’t here anymore are they.”

Ethan glanced up from his position outside the circle suddenly nervous. “Look, old man, I’m sure the threatening behaviour goes down very well with the demons of Sunnydale, but please try to remember that you need me to get back home.”

Giles stepped into the circle and snatched up the crystal. “Afraid not, old man.”

“Giles…”

 

“I warned you, Ethan.” Stepping back out of the circle, Giles lashed out violently, backhanding the other man away from him, across the floor. “I’ve told you time and again to stay away from me. And Buffy. You just don’t seem to get the message.” Placing the crystal in his coat pocket he stepped closer to Ethan and kicked him in the stomach, before roughly turning him onto his back and bringing his foot down on the man’s neck.

 

“Rupert, please…”

“Hmm? Well maybe you’re right. Where’s the fun in doing it this way?” He dragged Ethan to his feet and knocked him down again immediately, the force of the blow sending the other man sprawling. Dragging himself to his feet Ethan swung at Giles, only to find himself trapped, with his arm twisted round behind him. Maintaining his hold with his left hand, Giles attacked with his right. Ethan brought his right leg up behind Giles’ and forced them both to the floor. The two men continued to struggle, with Giles causing the most damage as Ethan tried to defend himself from the assault, while also battling to retrieve the crystal from the Watcher’s coat pocket.

 

Eventually Giles forced the other man onto his back once more and slammed his head against the ground. “Final warning old friend. Stay away from me.” He punctuated each comment with a vicious punch to the face, which pounded Ethan’s head back into the ground again. “Stay away from Buffy. Stay away from Sunnydale. I don’t care who is pointing whatever kind of gun at your head. If I ever see you again, I will kill you.”

 

Leaving the almost unconscious man where he lay, Giles stood and took the crystal and a handkerchief from his pocket. Wiping his face and hands clean he walked back into the chalk circle and closed his eyes, concentrating on the spell he had watched Ethan perform on the others.

 

****

 

“One coffee for you and one lemonade for you,” Fred announced as she placed Buffy and Dawn’s drinks down on the table in front of them.

 

After finding themselves rather abruptly hurled back to reality and into the lobby of the Hyperion, Buffy and Dawn had barely moved. Clinging to her sister, Buffy managed to move the necessary five steps to the couch, where they both collapsed. The sisters babbled incoherently to one another, checking each other for cuts and bruises, reassuring themselves that they were safe.

 

The noise brought Fred and Gunn running from the office. They stopped short when they saw Buffy and Dawn daring to hope that all of their friends had been returned to them. A quick glance around the lobby informed them that this was not the case. Fred rushed forward, eager to help them, while Gunn began questioning. “What happened? Where’ve you been? Where’re the others?”

Neither Buffy nor Dawn felt ready to answer any of the young man’s questions and so remained silent. They assured Fred that they weren’t hurt and meekly accepted her offer of a drink.

 

“Dawn are you sure you’re ok?” Buffy asked as Fred backed away from them towards Gunn.

“I’m fine. I mean my head feels funny from all this jumping around from place to place, but apart from that…”

“I was so worried about you.”

“I know,” Dawn told her seriously. “But he didn’t hurt me, except at the end, and I was with Spike for some of the time. He did get back to you didn’t he? That’s why you shouted for him right? He was with you?”

“Yeah, he was there. Is. Was… Whatever. And you will be telling my everything about this little adventure the two of you took later.” Buffy smiled at her sister and hugged her close.

 

“Oh God Buffy!” Dawn exclaimed, pulling sharply away from the Slayer. “What if Spike can’t get back? What if the others are trapped there forever? What are we going to do?”

“Dawn, calm down,” Buffy said, sounding more confident than she felt. “Willow and Giles and Tara will figure out a way to get everyone home. You’ll see. Before you know it, Spike’ll be standing there in front of you, calling you Nibblet and cursing up a storm.”

Dawn giggled. “I don’t think those will be the first things on his mind. I think ‘Kiss Buffy’, will be number one, followed by ‘Kill Whoever’; insert as applicable.”

“I…”

 

Whatever Buffy had been about to say was lost forever when a loud crash was heard from the office. The Summers girls jumped up from the couch and ran towards the noise. They stopped in the doorway and saw Gunn lying on the floor atop the broken remnants of the desk.

 

“Buffy?”

 

The sound of he name made her heart pound faster and she slowly turned to find Spike at the other end of the room. “Spike?”

The vampire crossed the room in three steps and grabbed Buffy to him. They clung to one another for a moment, both closing their eyes, happy to be lost in the others embrace. When they pulled apart it was only far enough to allow Spike to run his hand over Dawn’s hair.

“You ok Nibblet?”

Dawn nodded, looking tearfully at her sister and best friend, realising that their ordeal was over.

 

Turning back to Buffy, Spike held her face in his hands and lowered his lips to hers. She pulled him closer deepening the kiss, allowing all the words and feelings that had remained unspoken to flow between them.

 

****

 

Five minutes later the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel was filled with people. Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya swooped down on Dawn as soon as they saw her, hugging her to them. Spike and Buffy approached their friends, hands firmly entwined, looking happier than the others had ever seen them.

 

Fred ran forward to greet Angel, Cordelia and Wesley and hugged the three of them enthusiastically. Gunn followed at a more sedate pace, hugging Cordelia and shaking hands with the two men. “Where’ve you guys been?”

“We were really worried about you.”

“It’s a really long story,” Cordelia told them, stepping closer to Angel and taking his hand. Fred watched the two of them with a smile and casually pulled Gunn to one side to talk to Wesley giving Angel and Cordy some privacy.

 

Before either of them could speak Faith appeared at the vampire’s side. “Angel? Can I talk to you for a minute?” He looked down at Cordelia and squeezed her hand, smiling when she nodded in response. Releasing her, he and Faith moved away from the others to a more private area on the other side of the lobby.

“You ok?” the vampire asked as he spotted Faith’s nervousness. “You seem a little…”

“You have to call the police,” Faith interrupted in a rush, glancing over to where Wesley stood with Fred and Gunn.

Angel frowned. “Why do I need to…?” The Slayer looked up at him and understanding blossomed in his eyes. “Oh. You sure?”

Faith nodded. “Part of the whole redemption thing. You have your soul, I have my cell.”

“Is it working?”

“Well, I didn’t try and kill any of the Scoobies the minute I saw them so… yeah, I’d have to say it was working.” They shared a grin at that. “Look let’s not have that whole ‘I care about you because you’re just like me’ discussion. I’m already dreading the, ‘I’m sorry Buffy/I love you Faith’ talk that’s brewing with B. Just call the damn cops and I might be able to get out of here without any more meaningful conversations.”

 

Angel walked purposefully back across the room and into the office, Faith trailing behind him. Closing the door behind them, the Slayer leaned back against it, while Angel picked up the phone and called the police.

“Hello… yes. I’m calling from Angel Investigations. I have information about the whereabouts of Faith Walker who I believe escaped from the Northern California Women’s Corr… What? Faith Walker. No Faith. She’s been there for… No, I’m not. Ma’am, I think…” Angel blinked as the woman abruptly ended their conversation. He turned to Faith who had advanced towards the desk throughout the phone call. “They’ve never heard of you,” Angel told her in answer to her unspoken question. “They have no record of Faith Walker and no one has escaped custody within the last month.”

“But…”

“It must have something to do with Ethan’s spell. He got you out of prison. You just disappearing would be a little hard to reconcile so…”

“He just wiped me from the files and their memories. Neat.” Faith slumped down into a chair facing Angel. “What do I do now?”

 

 

 

**Chapter 43**

“This is the part that isn’t any fun, if there isn’t any screaming.”

_Evil-Willow – ‘The Wish’_

****

 

Dawn watched as Faith ran from Angel’s office out into the garden. She glanced across at Wesley who had been staring at office door ever since Faith had closed it behind her. The former Watcher strode purposefully across the lobby to the office, slamming the door behind him. Her eyes lit with interest as she wondered what was going on.

 

With a shrug she turned her attention back to the Scoobies. Buffy was talking with Xander and Willow, while Tara and Anya had joined Fred, Gunn and Cordelia. Spike stood by himself, leaning against one the pillars as he smoked. Getting up from the couch she walked towards him, smiling as she watched him watch her sister.

 

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You ok?”

“Fine. You.”

“Fine.”

“Good.”

 

“You and Buffy really need to talk.”

“Dawn…”

“No listen to me,” the teenager interrupted. “I don’t know what’s happened between you since you got sent back to that game. What with the kissing and stuff, I’m inclined to say it was of the good. But I’ll bet you haven’t talked about it. And if you don’t…”

“Nibblet…”

“If you don’t, nothing’ll ever get resolved and you’ll go back to how it was before. Believe me. My stubborn streak, I get from my parents.”

 

“I have to go Dawn,” Spike told her quietly, wiping the smile from her face.

“What? No you don’t. Where are you going? What do you mean you have to go? Why?”

“Dawn, sweetheart, calm down.”

“No! Buffy!!”

 

The Slayer looked up at her sister’s shout and made her way swiftly to the girl’s side. “What? What’s wrong? Dawnie are you ok?”

“He’s leaving,” Dawn told Buffy, tears in her eyes. “Tell him he can’t leave.”

Buffy looked stunned. “What?”

“Bloody hell Dawn,” Spike muttered, shaking his head at his girls. “I’m not leaving,” he told them firmly. “I just have to go somewhere. Got a few things to do, is all. No need to make it sound like I’m moving to China.”

Both Buffy and Dawn relaxed slightly. “What things do you have to do?”

“Just things. Nothing important.”

The Slayer frowned but didn’t push for an answer. “Well how long is it gonna take? We were going to head back to Sunnydale.”

“Yeah, you do that. Go home; get some rest. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

“Spike…” Buffy began, but stopped when she saw the determined look on his face. She had a feeling she knew what he had to do. She just hoped they’d be able to talk about it later.

 

Stepping closer to her, Spike cupped her cheek with his palm. “Nothing’s going to keep me away from you for long.”

“I know,” Buffy sighed, leaning into him.

Leaning forward slightly Spike kissed her gently, not moving to deepen it, just holding their lips pressed softly against one another.

 

Dawn stepped back as Buffy moved closer, allowing the vampire and Slayer some privacy. She started back towards Willow and Tara who were now seated on the couch when the door to Angel’s office opened once again and Wesley emerged, heading for the garden. Intrigued by what was happening between him and Faith, Dawn changed direction and followed.

 

****

 

“So…” Wesley said taking a seat beside Faith.

“So…” she replied, swinging her legs playfully as she avoided looking at him.

“What are you going to do now?”

Faith sighed. “I don’t know Wes. I guess I’m a free woman now. Any suggestions?”

“One thing does spring to mind.”

“Yeah but Sunnydale’s not as much fun as it used to be. All the hot demons are taken.”

Wesley chuckled. “It always has to be difficult with you doesn’t it?”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“No. I wouldn’t,” he said seriously and turned her to face him. “Faith…”

 

The Slayer pushed away from him and walked away from him to the other side of the courtyard. “Wes, don’t do this.”

“I wasn’t aware I was doing anything.”

“Whatever it is you’re feeling it’s because of that damn game. Trust me, I feel it too. One day in reality and you’ll be wishing me a million miles away.”

“Rubbish!”

“No, it’s not. What’s really changed between us huh? Apart from the fact that you saved my life?”

 

“What’s changed is that we’ve both grown up!” Wesley shouted, advancing on her. “You feel it too. You just said you do.”

“And what do you want me to do about it?” she screamed back. “Stay here and shack up with you? Two rogue demon hunters together?”

“Would it be so bad?” he asked gently as he drew up next to her.

“Wesley…”

“Just answer the bloody question!”

“No of course not,” Faith practically sobbed, defeated. “Of course it wouldn’t be bad. It would be amazing.”

 

Wesley pulled the Slayer towards him and tipped her head up to face him. “So what’s the problem?”  
”I’ll screw it up. I always do. I’ve disappointed or hurt everyone I ever cared about. I don’t want to do that to you again.”

“Then stay here with me.”

“Are you even listening to anything I’m saying?”

“I’m listening, I’m just not paying attention.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“And this is supposed to attract me how?”

“Faith for once in your life. Shut. Up.”

 

****

 

Dawn smiled to herself as she watched the Slayer and former Watcher argue through the French windows. Her eyes widened when she saw Wesley grab Faith around the waist, forcing her to look at him. She glanced towards her sister hoping to alert her to what was happening outside but found she was still entwined with Spike. With a happy sigh she turned back towards the couple in the garden who, to her surprise, were engaged in the very same thing.

 

 

 

**Chapter 44**

“You’re still number one with the guilt trip mom.”

_Buffy – ‘Amends’_

****

 

“Are you sure you’re going to get back before sunset?” Buffy asked as Angel pulled up in front of her house. Giles had decided to spend the night at the Hyperion so that he could make arrangements to go home to England, but he had promised Buffy he would spend a few days in Sunnydale before he left. Willow and Tara had been dropped off at the college, and Xander and Anya at their apartment, leaving only Buffy, Dawn and Angel in the car.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s only a two-hour drive.”

 

Dawn glanced between them and rolled her eyes. “Thanks for the ride Angel. Hope we’ll see you again soon,” she said cheerfully as she leaned up to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Don’t be too long Buffy ‘k?”

“Bye Dawn!” Angel called after her as she raced from the car into the house and she waved a hand in response, without turning to face him again.

 

The Slayer and vampire sat in silence for a few minutes, before they both started to speak at once.

“Buffy…”

“Angel…”

“No, sorry. You first.”

“No you. What did you want to say?”

Angel smiled. “I wanted to say, I hope Spike makes you happy.”

“He does,” Buffy responded simply. “I hope you and Cordy will be happy together.”

“We will. I mean, I think we will. There’s still that happiness clause.”

“Right. Well you know, I could get Willow to look into that for you.”

Angel nodded in acknowledgement and the pair fell silent once again.

 

“I better get going,” Buffy stated eventually. “Dawn’ll be waiting for me. We need some sisterly bonding time, you know.”

“It was good seeing you Buffy.”

“You too,” the Slayer told him honestly.

“If you need any help in the future…”

“I’ll give you a call.”

 

****

 

“Well that was short,” Dawn observed as Buffy entered the house. “I thought you’d be out there for hours having your conversation.”

Buffy frowned at her sister. “Our conversation?”

“Yeah, you know. ‘Oh Buffy,’” Dawn explained, affecting a deep tone to imitate Angel, “’I love you. But you know we can never be together.’ And then you say, ‘Oh Angel.’” Dawn switched to a higher tone to emulate her sister. “’How will I ever survive without you?’ Followed by either a big argument or five minutes of smooching.”

“Dawn…”

“Yeah, I know. So what happened to tonight’s conversation?”

“Didn’t need it.”

“No?”

“No.”

 

Without saying anymore Buffy stood and walked to the kitchen where she pulled a carton of orange juice out of the fridge. Dawn trailed behind her, taking a seat at the kitchen counter.

“Why didn’t you need it?”

“Because he’s in love with Cordelia.”

“And?”

Buffy sighed, but faced her sister head on. “And I’m…”

“Yes?”

“None of your business.”

Dawn smirked. “I knew it.”

“You don’t know anything.”

“Sure I do.”

“Dawn!”

“What?”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Not really.”

“Dawnie…”

 

Suddenly Dawn’s face turned serious and she looked at her sister with some apprehension. “Buffy I have to talk to you about something?”

“About what sweetie?” Buffy asked, sitting down next to the younger girl when she noticed Dawn’s unease.

“About what happened. To me and Spike.”

“Ok.”

“It’s gonna be weird.”

Buffy swallowed uncomfortably, her own nervousness rising. “Alright.”

“We were going to tell you together. But I think it’ll be easier if it’s just me.”

“Dawn honey, you’re really freaking me out here.”

“Ok. Here goes. It started when Spike got staked…”

 

 

 

**Chapter 45**

“Just so we’re clear; you guys know you’re nuts right?”

_Oz – ‘Gingerbread’_

****

 

As Drusilla slept, Darla stood at window of their hotel room and smiled with silent glee. Soon the game would be complete and everyone who had stood in her way would be dead. Every person who had threatened her plans, who had destroyed her once glorious existence as a force not to be reckoned with, would be gone forever.

 

Even Angel.

 

And she was happy. Wildly, unbelievably, ecstatically happy. She could do anything. With Dru or without her, she could rule again, this time second to no one. There would be no one standing between her and the power she had once been promised.

 

The light overhead flicked out and she was immediately alert, her true demonic face instinctively searching the blackness of the room for the intruder. A prickle fled down her spine as her eyes jumped nervously around the room.

 

She knew this person.

 

“Who’s there?”

 

She took a step back and growled threateningly. “Look I’m warning you. You have no idea what you’re dealing with. I swear this isn’t going to be pleasant.”

 

“No. It’s not.”

 

The flare of a match briefly illuminated the sculpted planes of the man’s face and Darla gasped; part in fear, part in shock.

“Spike!”

“Ten out of ten Blondie.”

“No! It’s not possible. You’re dead.” Darla continued backing away from the figure before her.

“No need to get personal,” Spike answered the slight smirk on his face belying his offended tone. “You’re dead too.”

“No I mean… Dust dead. Eternal damnation dead.”

“Yet here I am.”

 

He stepped towards her, calm and controlled. She glanced up and met only menace in his eyes. She had never seen him so cold before. It made her begin to regret the things she had taught him, the things she had said and done to him. The things she had made Angel teach him.

 

“You know,” Spike continued, continuing to walk slowly towards her. “Buffy doesn’t really believe I’ve changed all that much. She’s got a complex about what I’d do to her if I ever got this chip out.”

Darla felt the wall at her back and her eyes quickly moved around the room looking for someway to escape the predator before her. She wondered how he’d managed to out manoeuvre her like this but then he was talking again and she was drawn back to him.

 

“Dru on the other hand… She thinks I’ve gone soft. Not demon enough anymore. And that was before I had this thing shoved in my brain. She must think I’m useless now. The way you’ve always thought of me. And you know what…?” He was standing right next to her now, his body not quite touching hers, his head bent low so she could hear him every though his voice had dropped almost to a whisper. “They’re both right.”

 

His eyes flashed yellow and his fangs elongated as he smiled cruelly down at her. “Dru knows I’d never hurt Buffy or Dawn.” He ran a finger down the side of her face and the curve of her neck as he continued, “But what I want to do to you makes me wonder if Buffy would be right to see me as anything but a monster.”

 

He stopped as the words left his mouth and frowned. Darla let out a shuddering sigh as Spike leaned back away from her.

 

Then he shrugged. “Oh well.”

 

Grabbing her by the throat he lifted her against the wall, her legs kicking beneath her as her hands naturally came up to try and stop him strangling her. “Over 200 years as a vampire and your body still doesn’t understand it doesn’t need to breathe,” Spike mocked her as she struggled against him.

“Spike,” she choked, “please.”

“Please? Already? It’s not fun if you start begging right away. Give me a chance to hurt you first.”

“You don’t want to do this.”

 

“No? You sure? I’m pretty sure I’ve wanted to do this for over a hundred and twenty years you malevolent bitch. Do you remember the torture you put me through? The things you did to me? The things you did to Dru to hurt me? Well you made me stronger alright. You taught me a lesson. Now lets see how much of it I remember. ‘S been a good few year since I put the old skills to the test. And I think it’s only fair that you be the one to tell me if I passed or failed.”

 

He reached into the pocket of his duster and pulled something out. The metal glinted in the moonlight streaming through the window.

“Oh God.”

“No point calling for Him luv. He doesn’t listen to us. I’m sure He’s got more important things to do than listen to the desperate whines of an evil, murderous whore.” He raised the metal spike in front of her face. “I know it won’t kill you. But I’m sure it’ll keep you in pain until I get bored.”

 

Suddenly something attacked him from behind, the force of the tackle knocking him to the ground. “You’ve been a bad boy. Mummy’s disappointed in you.”

“Dru?” He struggled beneath her, but she held him down.

“Not to hurt Grandmamma William. Shh, shh. Be good for mummy.”

“I’m sorry Dru,” he whispered, feeling around for the weapon he had dropped. She looked down at him, and their eyes locked. Making his decision quickly, he backhanded her away from him and jumped to his feet, reaching back inside his duster as Darla charged at him with his railroad spike. It was over in seconds.

 

The metal spike clattered to the ground as Darla disintegrated.

 

Spike looked down at the ashes scattered around him. He threw the stake down next to the spike and turned away.

 

Dru sat cowering in the corner, her wide frightened eyes fixed on her former lover. Spike rubbed his hands over his face. “Go away. Go far away, do you hear me Dru? And don’t come back. Because the next time I see you I will kill you.” He walked towards the door, needing more than anything to get home to his girls.

“Why?”

He stopped, but didn’t turn to face Drusilla as he answered her. “I don’t want to kill you. I never wanted to kill you. I loved you. It meant something to me.”

“And Darla?”

He snorted. “Well I guess you were right. Don’t really think I’ve got the right mentality for torture anymore.”

“I was wrong.”

 

He did turn around then and found her standing close to him, watching him. Her eyes, for once shone brightly in a brief moment of lucidity. “You are the strongest of all of us William. The strongest and the bravest. My knight. Never forget why you’re here William. Why you were chosen.”

“Dru?” He wanted to ask her what she meant. What she knew about him and why he was there. But her eyes dulled once again, and the all-knowing angel turned back into the frightened child.

“Spike?”

“It’s ok Dru. I’m not going to hurt you. Remember what I said. Leave town; leave California. Leave the States and don’t come back.” He turned away, reaching for the door handle.

“The Slayer and the vampire. It was written in the stars the night I made you William. They whispered to me when I saw you. I wanted to keep you for my very own. But they needed you. The green light from the gold and the blue. You’ll make her happy.”

 

Once again her words stopped him and he walked back to her, knowing that this chapter of his life was about to end. He kissed her forehead tenderly and then rested his head against hers. “It’s not easy is it?”

“No.”

They shared a sad smile and stepped back. “Goodbye Dru.”

 

With that he quickly made his way out of the room and down the stairs, into the night.

 

  
**Chapter 46**

“That’s beautiful. Or, taken literally, incredibly gross.”

_Buffy – ‘Helpless’_

****

 

It was two in the morning when Spike pulled his tired DeSoto into the driveway of 1630 Revello Drive. He’d been away for Buffy and Dawn for one day, but he ached to see them again. He sat for a moment staring up at the Summers’ house, wondering for the thousandth time if he had done the right thing. Rolling down the car window he lit up a cigarette and leaned his head back against the seat.

 

He was just going to check that they were alright, all safely tucked up in bed like they should be. He forced himself to concentrate on smoking, emptying his head of all other thoughts for the moment.

“Psst.”

His head shot up at the hissing noise and he searched the front yard for any sign of danger.

“Hey. Spike!” His eyes flew to the doorway as Dawn’s voice drifted over to him.

 

Flicking the cigarette out of the window, he quickly got out of the car and made his way towards the young girl standing in the doorway. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a long braid and she was wrapped in the comforter from her bed. “What are you doing up Nibblet? It’s two a.m.”

“Buffy’s out back.”

“What?”

“Buffy is sitting on the back porch in her dressing gown with a mug of cocoa waiting for you to come home,” Dawn explained slowly with a knowing smile. “Go talk to her.” Spike nodded but didn’t move, his eyes remaining fixed on her. “What?”

“Nothing. ‘S just…” He ducked his head away from her questioning eyes. Why was this so hard now they were here when it wasn’t before?

“Yeah?”

 

“You know I love you don’t you?” He tilted his head up to look at her, wanting to see her reaction.

Her face lit up with the most beautiful smile he had seen from her in a long time. “I love you too.”

“Dawn…”

“Spike, I know there’s a lot you want to say. There’s a lot I want to say! We don’t know what this means yet or why it happened? And maybe we never will. But I didn’t need a ‘through the looking glass’ moment to know that you and Buffy are my family. And I don’t need you to convince me that you’ll never hurt us. That’s what trust’s about.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, Buffy’s still waiting out back for you. If you’re going to have a deep and meaningful you better get started, or the mood’ll be ruined by your howls of agony as you run for cover from the rising sun.”

The vampire rolled his eyes and shook his head at the girl. “Go to bed Dawn.”

“Yes daddy.”

“Nibblet!”

“Read me a bedtime story?”

“Can I ground you as well?”

“Night!” Dawn called as she ran upstairs, hoping to hear some of Buffy and Spike’s conversation from her bedroom window.

 

****

 

Spike followed Dawn into the house and closed and secured the door behind him. He waited until he heard the teenager’s bedroom door close behind her before making his way through the house to the back door. He could see her through the window, sitting on the porch stairs, staring out into the night. Taking a deep, calming breath he stepped outside.

 

“It’s about time,” she admonished lightly as he made his way towards her. “Your car pulled up ten minutes ago.” She didn’t turn to face him, her eyes remaining fixed on the stars. He sat down next to her with a smile. “Yeah, sorry about that. I just came to check you and Dawn were ok. Didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“I wanted to be disturbed,” she told him, finally turning to look at him. “I didn’t want to have to wait any longer to do this.”

 

The vampire tensed, fearing that she would say something to send him away. Instead she moved closer to him until they were sitting hip to hip, and turned her body to face his. Leaning forward she brushed her lips softly over his. Shuddering with relief he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. His hands were at her waist, holding her against him; one of her hands wound itself through his hair as the other came up to gently stroke his face. She pulled back eventually, when she remembered she needed to breathe, but only enough so that she could lay her head against his chest as they held each other. Neither knew how long they stayed like that, unmoving, simply enjoying being close to one another.

 

It was Buffy who finally broke the silence.

 

“Dawn told me what happened?”

It took Spike a moment to realise what she was talking about, but when it finally hit him he turned her slightly so that he could see her face. “She said ‘we’ were going to do it.”

“She thought it’d be easier just coming from her.”

Spike frowned, wishing he’d been there to lend both of his girls support. “Are you ok?”

“She’s my daughter,” Buffy said simply, her eyes expressing no surprise or confusion at the thought.

“You knew.”

“Well no one told me or sent me on a voyage of discovery. And the whole you being the father thing? Big surprise there but… Dawn being mine? I’ve known that for… You know I’m not sure when I realised. I mean I knew she was part of me. It just sort of crept up on me that it was something more than sharing the same blood. They made Dawn out of me… and you. And maybe we’ll never know why but I think…”

“Yeah?”

“I think it’s because this is the way it was meant to be.”

They sat quietly again for a moment as Spike tried to understand what was happening. Once again Buffy interrupted his thoughts.

“I love you.”

 

He looked down at her and found her staring up at him, the look in her eyes giving him proof of her words. “Buffy?”

Instead of repeating what he so desperately wanted to hear the Slayer smiled and snuggled deeper into his embrace. “You know a couple of days ago I wanted the simple life. I wanted to be like that damn robot so that I didn’t have to worry about what anyone thought of me. But you know what I’ve learned since then?”

“What?” Spike asked confused by the abrupt change in conversation.

“I have the best friends in the world.”

The vampire couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

 

“They want me to be happy. And if you make me happy they are happy for me to be with you. Did you know that?” She looked up at him as she asked, smiling as he shook his head.

“Not until just recently.”

“Me neither.” She relaxed back against him.

“Do I?”

“Hmm? Do you what?”

“Make you happy?”

“Very,” Buffy replied, rubbing her face against his chest.

“I love you.”

 

Buffy closed her eyes and for the first time allowed herself the pleasure of hearing those words and feeling the delight they provoked.

 

“I love you too.”

 

****

 

“I told you I’d give in,” she told him later as they lay spooned together in Buffy’s bed. Spike grinned against her hair as he ran one hand down the length of her body, letting it come to rest on her hip.

“I didn’t think you meant this quickly though. I thought I’d have to do a bit of wooing first.”

“Wooing?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, I was born in the nineteenth century. What’s wrong with wooing Miss Summers?”

“Absolutely nothing. If you’d like me to kick you out now so you can do the romantic courting part first that can be arranged.”

“You know, I can do both.”

Buffy smirked. “That’s very versatile of you.”

“Need to keep my lady happy.”

Turning to face him, she kissed the tip of his nose tenderly. “You’re doing a wonderful job so far.”

 

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started Chancing Folly with a dedication that still stands, but now needs to be added to. A dedication and special thanks to Hilary, who has been a valued source of encouragement from the start. Thanks also to Emi, Bridgett, Lynette, Elizabeth and everyone on the mailing list who, though they might not know it, forced me to finish this.


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